Negotiates for withdrawal of plea in SC, considers providing separate land
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: After declaring that Goa will not have Special Economic Zones (SEZs), the State government is now in talks with SEZ promoters to withdraw the petition filed in the Supreme Court challenging Government’s decision to cancel SEZ policy in 2008. If everything goes in the State’s favour, Government would consider providing separate land in the industrial estates to the promoters for setting up their units.
After a public outcry and several protests through 2006-08, then Congress government in Goa had decided to scrap seven land-intensive SEZs and withdraw the state SEZ policy. Three of the seven SEZs were already notified by the Trade and Commerce Ministry and four SEZs were in the process of being notified.
A whopping 38,40,886 sq mtrs of land was allotted for the SEZs by Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC). A senior official at the Secretariat confirmed that Government has taken a policy decision not to have SEZs in Goa, but instead take over the land and utilize it for industrial development.
“Since the matter is pending before Supreme Court, government cannot move in this direction. Hence it has approached SEZ promoters demanding that the petitions be withdrawn. Government has expressed desire to give them land to set up their industrial units, which would also help in the industrial development of the state,” official said.
“Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar feels that government and the SEZ promoters need to come to a consensus or else the matter will remain pending in the courts,” the official added. The government has already put up the case before the Apex Court seeking dismissal of the petition filed by the firms pointing out that several irregularities were committed by the former government while allotting SEZ land.
Six of the seven promoters namely K Raheja & Corporation, Peninsula Pharma Research Centre, Planetview Mercantile Co, Inox Mercantile Company and Paradigm Logistics & Distribution approached the Supreme Court after High Court in its judgement in 2010 set aside the land allotments to all SEZ promoters dubbing it as illegal.
The Supreme Court in 2011 had issued notices to the Centre, Goa Government and IDC asking them to maintain status quo, staying the November 2010 order of the Bombay High Court at Goa upholding the cancellation of land allotment to seven SEZ promoters.
A whopping 38,40,886 sq mtrs of land was allotted for the SEZs by Goa Industrial Development Corporation. A senior official at the Secretariat confirmed that Government has taken a policy decision not to have SEZs in Goa, but instead take over the land and utilize it for industrial development
