News Articles
GMAS to hold SEZ Hatao Yatras from December 10
HERALD NEWS DESK
PANJIM, DEC 1 - Matanhy Saldanha, Convenor of Goaâs Movement Against SEZs (GMAS) in a statement issued here said that the general body of GMAS has decided to hold SEZ Hatao Yatras in North and South Goa simultaneously from December 10 to 17, culminating into a protest morcha demanding cancellation of all SEZs including the two notified ones in Goa.
The GMAS said that the following two separate committees have been formed to organise the yatras -North Goa - Mr Upendra Gaonkar, Mr Trajan DâMello, Mr Jeevan Mayekar, Mr Amol Navelkar, Mr Damu Naik, Mrs Nirmala Sawant, Mr Soter DâSouza, Mr Marcel Pereira, Mr Floriano Lobo, Mr George de Souza and Mr John Lobo. South Goa - Mr Oscar Martins, Mr Socorro DâSouza, Mr Laurel Abranches, Mr Sidhanath Buyao, Mr Mahesh Naik, Mr Ajay Pereira and Ms Auda Viegas.
The GMAS too wants to reiterate that its sole aim is to protect Goa and Goans from the destructive SEZ policy in Goa and to demand cancellation of all the 18 SEZs once and for all.
GMAS further states in a press release that it is a peoplesâ movement which includes NGOs, social activists and political parties, whose main aim is to prevent Goans from becoming strangers in their own land due to the âfaultyâ decision of the Goa Government of allowing SEZs in Goa.
The GMAS demands a thorough investigation into the antecedents of those persons promoting SEZs against whom cases are still pending in High Court and black list them, thus preventing them from carrying out any business activities in Goa, failing which, the GMAS will assume that the Government is âsupportingâ criminals in the name of the common villagers of Guleli.
The GMAS calls upon the people of Goa, irrespective of religion, caste, creed or political affiliations, to come out and support the cause to cancel the 18 SEZs.
Meanwhile, the GMAS appeals to all the applicants of SEZs in Goa to prevent further public upheaval in Goa by voluntarily withdrawing their applications to establish SEZs in Goa as the same have been approved by the Goa Government without considering the negative implications of such projects on Goa and Goans.
