RASTA ROKO AND BURING OF EFFIGIES ON GORAI ROAD

Over 3000 people carrying effigies of Mukesh Ambani and Subash Chandra Goel in a mock funeral procession marched from Chowk village to Uttan - Gorai Road Junction to protest against the Maha Mumbai and Gorai SEZ. There was a Rasto Roko on Gorai Road for two hours from 10.30 in the morning. Among the local leaders were Catholic priests who had come out in support of the agitation. Joseph Gonsalves, president of Dharavi Bet Bachao Samiti spoke on why the ownership of lands should not change hands. He said that the locals would lose their occupations and would be dishoused if the SEZ came through. Besides the region was rich in culture and heritage as it is the home of the East Indians community, who are the sons of the soil.

Esselworld was trying to use backdoor methods to set up the SEZ. They were planning to obtain lands through government tenders as they were unable to purchase any from the locals. The locals have gone to Court to stop 1200 acres of this eco sensitive land (1000 of which are mangroves) from being given away for development of tourism projects. The Bombay High Court has granted a status quo order on the lands and the case would be further heard on June 25, 2008. The MTDC tender notice for giving away these lands on lease to develop tourism projects is bad in law as mangroves are notified as forests by a Court order dated Oct. 6, 2005 and the Ministry of Environment and Forests is asked to take over possession of mangrove lands.

These agitations would continue till Oct. 4, 2008 to demand that no further extension be given for the SEZ approval.

Gordon D'Souza