HC orders status quo

PANJIM, JUNE 25 — The government today suffered another set back when the High Court asked Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) not to act on the show cause notice issued to M/s K Raheja Corporation Pvt Ltd over withdrawal of land for a SEZ, until July 18.(Continued on page 10)Rahejas which has proposed to set up a SEZ at Verna Industrial Estate — Phase IV has gone to High Court challenging the show cause notice issued by GIDC as to why lease deed allotting it an area of 10, 59, 118 sq mts should be revoked. A Division Bench of Justices S A Bobde and R C Chavan on Wednesday directed the GIDC not to act on the show cause notice issued until further hearing which is fixed for July 18, when the GIDC counsel sought time to file reply. However, the petitioner will be at liberty to carry out the work in the notified SEZ, but at its own risk. On June 13, the GIDC had issued show cause notices to seven SEZs following direction from the State Government that the land leases granted to SEZs promoters should be revoked/cancelled forthwith in view of its policy, not to permit establishment of any SEZ in Goa. Of the seven SEZ parties, M/s Rahejas is the first one to challenge GIDC show cause notice.The State formed its SEZ policy on June 6, 2006 in the 21st meeting of the council of ministers. But before that was formulated, the government had allotted land to several parties for setting up of SEZs. And,that too without calling for Expression of Interest.
HERALD REPORTER
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