GORAI UTTAN SEZ ISSUE FURTHER AGITATION
Hello Sabhaites and Friends,
RE: Gorai Uttan Sez issue- The agitation must go on. We want a large turnout for this campaign. Please pass the message around.
The Dharavi Bet Bachao Samiti has organised Padyatras from all villages to the Uttan-Gorai Rd. Junction (Bhoot Bangla) where there will be a rasta roko. Effigies of Ambani and Goel will be burnt when all assemble together. The Padyatras will begin at 10.00am on Tuesday June 17, 2008 to protest against SEZ and the Government's going back on their promise that they would not include 22 irrigated village in the Maha Mumbai SEZ in Raigad district. A rasta roko has also been planned at Vadkhal Naka in Pen.
Please also read the report of the meeting by our Vice President Gordon D'souza on the meeting convened by the Dean of the Bhayander Deanery which was presided by Bishop Bosco Penha
Best Regards,
Dolphy D'souza
President
THE BOMBAY CATHOLIC SABHA
----REPORT----
Fr. Allwyn D'Silva, Dean of the Bhayander Deanery called a meeting of activists from the Deanery involved in the SEZ agitation at Bhayander on June 4, 2008. Bishop Bosco Penha presided over the meeting which was also attended by some of the priests of the Deanery. Dolphy, Chandrashekar and myself were also present.
It was generally felt the SEZ agitation had made a good impression on Esselworld and the Government. The bulk of the andolan in the form of Rasta Rokos, Dharnas, Boat Blockade, Rallies etc were between December 2007 and March 2008. But there was a good build up to this in the form of media coverage, meetings and presentations made to our people. A delegation had also visited Delhi and met Mr. Pillai, Chairman of Board of Approval of SEZ and Sonia Gandhi in this regard.
It was reported that Esselworld had made overtures for a meeting with the locals and has also threatened to close down Esselworld. However members were firm that there should be no meeting with Mr. Goel as they have a bad track record in the region and have even tried to create differences amongst the locals. In the meanwhile MTDC has floated tenders to give away 1200 acres of land for development of tourism industry. 1000 acres of this land is mangroves and the remaining in CRZ I. A number of local organisations and individuals have filed a writ petition against this and have managed to get a status quo on the proposed change of land use of the four plots in contention till June 25, 2008 which is the date of the next hearing. It is believed that DLF, and Reliance are the highest bidders for two of the plots.
Esselworld has also managed to get a six month extension for their in principle approval for SEZ upto Oct. 4, 2008. It was felt that it was very important to maintain the agitation level against the SEZ especially till the expiry of the extended date. Any complacency at this stage would send a signal that the agitation against the SEZ has ebbed.
Bishop Bosco while thanking all the members for the role they have played in building up the agitation, requested all to maintain it till such time that the danger was completely over..
Gordon D'Souza
Vice President
BCS