TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The SEZ Virodhi Manch has condemned the statements made by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar that he would unlock the 38 lakh sq mts of land presently in litigation before the Supreme Court.
“While former chief minister Manohar Parrikar had made the same statements on the floor of the House a year back, the present chief minister is now making the same misleading and irresponsible statements to the media a year later,” a statement from the manch, signed by its president Franky Monteiro, said.
He said that Parsekar has expressed his intentions to compromise with the SEZ promoters into withdrawing the appeal filed by them in the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order and then utilize the land in the interest of the State.
He said that he has filed a counter appeal in the Supreme Court praying that the two remaining prayers not granted by the Bombay High Court – that the lands be returned to the original owners and accountability from the GIDC officials and persons involved in the allotment of lands to the SEZ promoters – be granted.
He said that the people were earlier compelled to agitate on the streets and eventually villagers of the three affected villages approached the courts to quash the allotments to SEZ promoters.
