The Opposition in the Goa Assembly on Friday demanded an inquiry into land allotments to SEZ companies by the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), demanding that land allotted to them be taken back. Though Chief Minister Digamber Kamat agreed to examine the matter, he refused to initiate an inquiry.

“As the Government has agreed to scrap the SEZs, the land allotted for such a purpose has to be taken back,” Manohar Parrikar, Leader of Opposition, demanded. He said the land allotted to various companies at Betul under the name of Food Park is also under the SEZs and should be scrapped.

In a written reply to Laxmikant Parsekar of the BJP, the Chief Minister replied that the GIDC had received 16 applications for allotment of land between September 2005 and December 31, 2007. “The GIDC has allotted land in seven cases,” he informed.

“Approximately 32 lakh square metre of land was allotted to the seven companies and the state received around Rs 12 crore from them,” the Assembly was informed in a written reply.

The seven Companies which were allotted land are Meditab Specialities; Peninusula Pharma Research Centre; K Raheja Corp; Paradigm Logistics and Distribution; Planetview Mertantile; Inox Mercantile; and Maxgrow Finlease Pvt Ltd. All are from Mumbai except for Maxgrow, which is from Delhi.

Parrikar alleged that the agenda of the Goa Industrial Development Corporation meeting was circulated only one hour in advance. “This was done purposefully,” he said.