Goa's Movement Against SEZs (GMAS) has questioned the move of the government to acquire huge tracts of land for allocation to educational institutions from India and abroad. This issue was discussed among others by GMAS, at a meeting held on Saturday. "Parting with nearly 40 lakh sq mt land for so-called higher educational commercial institutions appears to be another attempt to sell Goa to builders and land sharks from all over India and abroad', said a statement issued by GMAS. Convenor Matanhy Saldanha said the issue was discussed in view of scarcity of land in Goa. Members expressed concern and questioned whether this was another move to bring in SEZs in another form. Further, they also questioned the benefits of all India institutions that are presently functioning in the state of Goa, to the locals. GMAS also demanded that Goa Government should come out with a clear policy on land use to fulfill the genuine needs of the people of Goa. It has reiterated its demand with the Centre for scrapping of the three notified SEZs and has demanded with the Goa Government to abolish the SEZ policy. GMAS has warned all promoters of SEZs in Goa to stop pursuing their exploitative designs on Goa's soil. GMAS reminded the promoters that all political parties, all NGOs and the entire population of Goa are opposed to SEZs in Goa, in any form. "The Government of India cannot impose SEZs on the people of Goa when the people of Goa and the State Government do not want SEZs as they are not in the interest of the State and its people', Saldanha said. It has also warned M/s Panchabhoomi Pvt Ltd, a SEZ promoter wanting to set up an IT SEZ in Socorro, not to use projections of Interim Report on Regional Plan 2021 to justify their SEZ. "Present experience shows that these projections are not at all realistic for the present population as well as existing industry since both are facing severe shortages of water', the statement said.