Confronted with the ground reality of the situation and a court case filed by Cipla subsidiary Meditab Specialities, Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat told the state legislative assembly on Friday that the government was “examining” the matter.
Under pressure from its political opponents who have revealed the discrepancies in the land allotment procedures and the pro-active anti-SEZ groups in Goa resisting the takeover of scarce land in the state, Mr Kamat’s SEZ-related problems are far from resolved.
He said the state government had written to the Union Commerce Ministry, asking that the three SEZs notified by the Centre, Cipla’s pharma unit, K Raheja’s IT park and Piramal’s biotech park, be withdrawn.
A total of 38 lakh square metres of land were allotted to seven approved SEZs. The Goa Industrial Development Corporation received Rs 107 crore for the land for the seven SEZs which critics say is way below the market price.
Meanwhile, the Goa government has asked the High Court for a week’s time to file its reply in the case filed by Cipla’s subsidiary.
