The land was acquired by GIDC using the urgency clause of the Land Acquisition Act for setting up a food park despite several agitations and objections from villagers. GIDC has been established with objectives to develop acquired land and make the same available to entrepreneurs for setting up industry in the interest of self employment but time and again GIDC, in connivance with the government, gives away large tracts of land to multinational companies and corporate houses for SEZs and in the present case to the Defence Ministry, VGG said.
“It can be seen that the defence forces are in possession of vast tracts of land at prime locations all over Goa. The present government, which gave high hopes and made tall promises to the people, have turned traitors and proved to be the same old wine in different bottles,” VGG president Zarinha Da Cunha said.
“The Union defence minister instead of protecting the scarce land of our tiny state is using his position and power to influence the GIDC and government to gift away our precious land reserve,” she added.
VGG demands that the land be utilised for IIT or educational institutes or as per the wishes of the people and as per the needs of the state. Such lands cannot be gifted away as per the whims and fancies of the government of the day.
