On Monday, 10 December 2007
a team of SEZ Virodhi Manch (SVM) went to check on reports by locals that work
was in progress on Sunday night
in clear contravention of the Chief minister's directive for stopping work in
the Verna SEZs.
We were shocked to see the hill being cut.
We demanded that the work be immediately stopped and that all machinery and
workers be moved out of the fraudulent SEZ.
The PRINT and ELECTRONIC MEDIA and over 200 activists of the SVM from Verna,
Loutolim, Keri, Sancaole, Betul and elsewhere gathered at the site and were
witness to the following facts:
1. Raheja’s liaison man, Rahul Sardesai confirmed that they had ONLY VERBAL
PERMISSIONS from GIDC to carry out developmental work.
2. Four bore wells have been illegally sunk and water from one was criminally
overflowing on to ground when we reached there
3. Over 500 m2 of construction (two slabs) has been already done AGAIN WITHOUT
ANY WRITTEN PERMISSION from any agency.
4. Over 400 workers were staying in most appalling conditions and they too were
complaining of not being paid.
5. The hill has been indiscriminately cut for the real estate plans of the
Raheja’s
The entire protest was peaceful and despite PI Raposo provocations.
The Government needs to note that uptill NOW the work has been stopped by the
KERI & VERNA SEZ s by the people through peaceful solidarity.
But the indignation is increasing.
In the evening, GAKUVED (Federation of Gawda Kunbi Velip Dhangar) held a public
meeting at Quepem to commemorate Human Rights day.
Sons-and-daughters-of-the-soil gathered from principally Rivona and Quepem and
were joined by activists from all over Goa to express their outrage at the
trampling of human rights by those out to buy and abuse Goa.
Speaker after speaker vented the anger at the excesses of illegal mining
facilitated by Government agencies that are refusing to impose the laws of the
land.
Goans are being pushed to the wall by the abusive economic interests who are
causing irreparable damage to the environment and the ethos of Goa.
And the Government is crawling when asked to bend by the vested interests.
It needs a wake-up call to be told that
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Promote, participate in the
PUBLIC MEETING
called by the
SEZ Virodhi Manch
at the historic Lohia Maidan in Margao
on Friday, 14 December 2007, 4.00 pm
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