Citizens’ Research Collective on SEZ

Posted by: “Pravin Sabnis” pravinsabnis@yahoo.com
Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:42 pm

The SEZ Virodhi Manch expresses disgust
at the double standards of the government
of making empty statements/promises
with regard to the scrapping of SEZs from Goa.

At the ground level work and full scale destruction activity
is taking place by the Raheja SEZ at Verna.
When the Government withdrew its Stop Work Notices
issued to SEZ Promoters from the High Court on procedural lapses,
it promised the citizens of Goa that
fresh Show Cause Notices in accordance with the law
would be issued to the Promoters of SEZs in Goa.
Till date, there has not been a single Show Cause Notice
issued to the promoters, on the contrary,
the Government has allowed the promoters
to re-start work by its inactions.

Despite several representations to de-notify
the Special Economic Policy from the State,
the Government of Goa has not done so,
which exposes their malicious intentions.

It may be recollected that when the villagers entered
the Meditab SEZ at Keri and the Raheja SEZ at Verna
on 7 and 10 December 2007, the print and electronic media
was witness to statements made by their liaison-officers
talking of “verbal permissions given by the GIDC”.

Today, 19th August, 2008 the people from various villages
after learning that the works at the Raheja SEZ at Verna had been restarted
entered the site in large numbers and forced the workers to stop work and leave the site.
It is deploring that time and again the people are compelled
to forget their daily chores to fight for their rights
while the Government repeatedly fools the people.

Repeatedly it is the people who have to enter the SEZ premises
and force the SEZ promoters to stop work.
Till date the people have not resorted to any violence
but they also should not be taken for granted.
The people have made their intentions clear that
they will not allow the works to go on at any costs
and warn the Govt. that it will be solely responsible
for the outburst of any violence in future.

The SVM is surprised that now many MLA’s
belonging to the ruling and opposition parties who used to sing anti-SEZ tunes
have conveniently forgotten the same.
The SVM now demands from all those anti SEZ MLA.’s to
bring up the issue before the Assembly session in progress
and demand passing of a bill scrapping the SEZ policy existing in the State.

This will prove their sincerity over the issue.
The SVM calls for immediate actions by the Government that
immediate Show Cause Notices be issued procedurally to
all the promoters of SEZs in Goa,
register the FIR filed by villagers People’s Movement Against SEZ
on 22nd October 2007 instead of criminal dilly-dallying
by the Goa Police
and set up CBI inquiry into the scam
in the process of approvals forwarded for SEZs.

The SVM warns the Government and the SEZ promoters
to desist from playing with the sentiments of Goans.
The peaceful protests of the SVM should not be construed as a sign of weakness.
The government should not provoke the peaceful people of Goa.

Charles Fernandes
Convenor
SEZ Virodhi Manch