"We have received such a letter and will be taking a stand within a couple of days after thorough discussion on the issue," State Chief Secretary J P Singh said this evening.
The commerce ministry's refusal to denotify three SEZs has come as a tough challenge for the state government that will now have to take stand on the issue within two weeks.
Besides, SEZ developers have already filed petitions in the high court against stop-orders issued to them.
Incidentally, the Goa Bench of the Mumbai High Court, while hearing the matter today gave two weeks time to the state government to decide on the stop-work order issued by it to all the three notified industrial enclaves proposed in different parts of the coastal state.
The state government, under immense public and political pressure, had on December 31 scrapped 12 SEZs, while three were referred to the Union Board of Approval under the commerce ministry to take final stand.
The commerce ministry's letter, which was presented before the high court this morning, says that those SEZs which are not approved can be scrapped, while in case of those SEZs which are approved but not notified showcause notices can be served asking as to why their permission should not be cancelled.
The state government is in piquant situation over the issue of notified SEZs, which include Meditab Specialities Pvt Ltd (spread over 304 acres), Peninsula Pharma Research Centre Pvt Ltd (20.36 hectares) and K Raheja Corporation Pvt Ltd (spread over 107.17 hectares). "The state government headed by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat will meet and take appropriate decision on the issue. We will take formal stand within a couple of days," said Singh.
Goa's Advocate General Subodh Kantak, who had to present this letter before the bench today, said that the Centre had taken the stand only after consulting legal experts.
