Goa anti-SEZ movement leader calls for united fight in K'taka

Mangalore, Jan 29 (UNI) Leader of the Goa Movement Against Special Economic Zone Matani Saldanha today called upon farmers, fishermen and general public to put up a united fight against the Mangalore Special Economic Zone Project (MSEZ) and Petroleum and Chemicals Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR).

Addressing a rally of farmers convened against the 4000-acre MSEZ project, he said people should extend support to those candidates in the coming Assembly elections who publicly supported their cause.

Mr Saldanha said China had only seven SEZs and people in that country fought against setting up of more SEZs. In India, the Union Government had ignored people's interests and allowed SEZs to mushroom by allowing more than 500 SEZs, of which 187 had been set up.

Later, at a press conference, he alleged the government was adamant in its stand of imposing MSEZ against the reports of all the five expert committees, which had opposed the SEZ in the coastal Dakshina Kannada district.

''We, being a small state, can only throw away the SEZ project from here through a united fight,'' he added.

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