The Tatas' small car is likely to roll out of the Singur plant as scheduled in October and vendors are also getting their projects readied, Tata Ryerson Managing Director Sandipan Chakravarty said. Mr. Chakravarty, whose company is slated to supply a substantial portion of the components for the Nano, said that he planned to get his plant ready by August. The issue of the rollout was at the fore again in view of the water-logging caused by the recent spell of heavy rains and flash floods in the State. Portions of the project area were submerged but the core area was not affected. Mr.

The Rs 31,000-crore refinery and petrochemical plant being planned by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh is likely to have a new partner

The SEZ Virodhi Manch has reiterated that no compensation whatsoever should be paid by the government to the SEZ promoters, saying the Board of approvals have violated SEZ rules in hastily approving the notifying the SEZ. Welcoming the government decision of revoking the land allotted for SEZ purpose by the GIDC and claiming it to be a victory of the people, the Manch prayed that there is no hidden agenda in the decision and that the government stays with the people in the same manner till the land is finally revoked officially and the three notified SEZs are denotified.

While the farmers who have been fighting for the much-awaited Rajivsag-ar (Dummugudem) Lift Irrigation Project for the last two decades are expressing happiness over the comme-ncement of works, those who were losing lands un-der the project are insisting that the government start works only after paying compensation to their lands. The evacuees of the project also demanded that the government pay the compensation on par with the price being paid to the victims of Indirasagar Multi-purpose Irrigation Project.

I can still remember how people were dancing and kicking at the bamboo cordons and shouting "Posco Go Back', when we reached Balitutha, near Parikud in Orissa on April 1, 2008. People from many parts of the state, especially from the scene of anti-displacement struggles (including Kalinga Nagar), had joined the local people and the gathering was huge. Exactly four months earlier, on December 1, 2007, I had seen the same people demonstrate when I reached Dhinkia, the first village to be displaced by the Posco steel project. (Letter)

Palash Kumar A separate clause is being introduced in Rule 19 of the SEZ rules as 19(8) to allow the government to set up its project to build strategic oil reserves on SEZ land without the mandatory export condition.

For a change, the quarterly meeting of North Goa Zilla Panchayat (NGZP) held today turned out to be without any trouble. Congratulatory motions dominated the meeting. A motion was moved congratulating the government about its decision to go head with the proposed Mopa International airport. There was also a motion moved congratulating the government for scrapping Special Economic Zone (SEZs.) Both the motions were moved by Upadhyaksha Kishore Narvekar. A motion was also moved congratulating Adhayaksha Amol Morajkar for completing one year in office.

Goa Pradesh Youth Congress, while welcoming the resolution of Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) to cancel and revoke land allotments to SEZ companies in Goa, has ridiculed the Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar for refusing to appreciate Chief Minister Digambar Kamat's decision to scrap SEZ from Goa. GPYC chief Sankalp Amonkar said CM deserved kudos for his latest decision to cancel land allotment to SEZ promoters.

MUMBAI: Farmers affected by the Reliance group's Mumbai Special Economic Zone (MSEZ) blocked the Mumbai-Goa highway at Vashi Naka near Pen in Raigad district for over two hours on Tuesday alleging that the government went back on its assurances. The protesters led by senior Peasants and Workers Party leader N.D. Patil were later arrested.

Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco has appealed to all Goans, irrespective of caste, creed, colour or political affiliation, to remain united and strengthen the hands of Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat in the fight against the establishment of Special Economic Zones till the last stone is unturned in the larger interest of the state.

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