Goa govt isn't closing down SEZs, says commerce secy 8 Jun, 2008, 0206 hrs IST,Shantanu Nandan Sharma, TNN
NEW DELHI: The Goa government, which mounted pressure on the Centre to cancel all Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the state, has not taken any initiative to close down those estates and compensate the developers<http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Economy/Goa_govt_isnt_closing_down_SEZs_says_commerce_secy/articleshow/3110248.cms#>in the last six months, commerce ministry officials said. Three developers of formally approved SEZs, who acquired 101 hectares of land from government-owned Goa industrial development corporation (GIDC), are at a loss whether the state government<http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Economy/Goa_govt_isnt_closing_down_SEZs_says_commerce_secy/articleshow/3110248.cms#>would take back those land and suitably compensate them, sources told SundayET. The ministry of commerce which cancelled four approved SEZs at the request of the Goa government, has refused to cancel three notified SEZs as the SEZ Act has no provisions to de-notify any SEZ. The ministry, however, did not process 12 other applications<http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Economy/Goa_govt_isnt_closing_down_SEZs_says_commerce_secy/articleshow/3110248.cms#>which also sought to develop SEZs in the state. When contacted, commerce secretary G K Pillai said: "During the last six months or so, the Goa government has not taken any step to close down the SEZs. We are told that they have even asked for this year's lease rent of land from some developers. As the state government has not done any paperwork, some developers have recently received environmental clearance too," Mr Pillai said. The Goa government requested the Centre to scrap all SEZs in the state after the state had witnessed massive protests in December last year. The protestors were arguing that the SEZs would give an outlet for outsiders to grab land and reap financial benefits. Whereas Panchbhoomi infrastructure<http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Economy/Goa_govt_isnt_closing_down_SEZs_says_commerce_secy/articleshow/3110248.cms#>, one of the four formally approved SEZs, purchased land from private owners, the other three — Paradigm logistics & distribution, Planetview mercantile company and Inox Mercantile company — were given land by the Goa industrial development corporation. "Some of the developers acquired land from GIDC way back in 2001. These were lying vacant for years now, and it's a complete waste of resources. The government of Goa should close down the process and compensate them suitably," the commerce secretary said. _______________________________________ The above news item indicates a classic case of playing ball.The Central Government can denotify the SEZs using the General Clauses Act and the Goa Government has to repeal its SEZ, IT, Biotechnology policies, register cases in regard to the SEZ related scams as the facts are well within their knowledge. Period. As far as the lease cancellation is concerned, the particular parties can continue to have the land if they put it to industrial purposes which is what GIDC had in the first place acquired the land for. If the parties don't want to put it to industrial purpose or the villagers of those villages want the land not to be put for industrial purposes, then the land should be handed over to the appropriate authority for restoring it to the uses that the land was once put. But this is an issue entirely separate from the denotification as the land was anyway leased to these developers for SEZs even before the SEZs were applied for by them! -- (M) 9326137682 "If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it." — Margaret Fuller
