Dear Goykar, In the Navhind Times report of 03 January, 2008 below, check out who SEZ what.
Check Alexio Sequeira's statement "He said that all the approved SEZs in the state were eco-friendly." Wow! Perhaps the Raheja's will now turn the groundwater into wine at Verna ...and he will bottle and market it for them under his brand name. from Cana-Vanelim ;-) Mog asundi. Miguel CM pleads ignorance of Union commerce secretary's statement NT Staff Reporter Panaji, Jan 2 The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat has said that he was not aware of what the Union commerce secretary, Mr Gopal Pillai has said about the state government decision to recommend de-notification of three notified special economic zones. Responding to a question posed to him in wake of the statement by the Union commerce secretary that the Centre cannot accede to the Goa government "request" of de-notifying the SEZs, Mr Kamat told The Navhind Times that he would offer his comments only after getting official communication. The Finance Minister, Mr Dayanand Narvekar said that he was not aware of what has been said by the Union government official on the issue of SEZs and the Goa government state, as such he preferred not to offer his comment. However, the Power Minister, Mr Aleixo Sequeira said that he personally was in favour of SEZs, which he described were the future for Goa. He said that all the approved SEZs in the state were eco-friendly. He further said that none of the approved SEZs has so far made any application to the state government seeking power from it. The Chief Secretary, Mr J P Singh said the state government would send in a formal letter to the Centre informing it of the state government decision and wait for the reply on the issue. The state would decide on step to be taken on SEZs only after a formal reply form the central government, he added. Deploring the stand of the Union ministry of commerce as against de-notifying the three notified SEZs, the Goa's Movement Against SEZs today said the central government is "insensitive to the public opinion and does not respect the democracy." "Before going public on such serious issue, it is the bounden duty of the central government to verify the basis on which the SEZs were forwarded for approval in the first place," the GMAS maintained. Earlier today, the Union commerce secretary, Mr Gopal Pillai said that there is neither any provision under the law to recommend de-notification of the SEZs, nor does the government has any locus standi to withdraw the notifications to the SEZs. Addressing a hurriedly called press conference this evening,, the GMAS convenor, Mr Matanhy Saldanha alleged that the central government has become a mouthpiece of the investors. "Or else, how could the ministry of commerce come out with its reaction so soon," he questioned, adding that the process of approval of the SEZs is a big sham since there is no evaluation of these projects. "However, the GMAS wants to make it absolutely clear to the Goa government that it is not concerned with the decision of the central government and it is for the Goa government to make sure that the notified SEZs are scrapped along with all the other SEZs," Mr Saldanha said. "The GMAS's opposition to the SEZs is with the government of Goa and it is the responsibility of the state government to respond to the central government appropriately to get the notified SEZs scrapped," he reacted. Recalling that some people had to die for scrapping of the SEZ projects at Nandigram, in West Bengal, Mr Saldanha said that if the SEZs in Nandigram could be de-notified, so can be the SEZs notified in Goa. The GMAS members will be meeting on January 3 to discuss the recent developments as regards the SEZs and to take appropriate action to the insensitive response of the Union government, it was informed. -- -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. Miguel Braganza, S1 Gracinda Apts, Rajvaddo, Mhapsa 403507 Goa Ph 9822982676 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
