Panaji, May 25 (IANS) The public accounts committee (PAC) of the Goa assembly will probe the controversial allotment of huge tracts of land to private promoters for seven Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the state in 2006.

A member of the PAC committee Wednesday told reporters that NGOs, which had protested and forced the government to withdraw its SEZ policy alleging a scam, were invited to hand over evidence to the panel.

"There may be some information available with the general public on this issue. We need to bring it on record. It will only help our investigation," the PAC member told reporters on condition of anonymity after a meeting of the committee, headed by leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar.

More than 32 lakh sq mt of land was handed over to seven SEZ promoters -- Meditab Specialities Pvt Ltd, Cipla group, Peninsular Pharma Research Ltd, Paradigm Logistic & Distributors, Planetview Mercantile Pvt Ltd, Inox Mercentile Pvt Ltd and M/s Maxgrow.

The state government was subsequently forced to denotify the allotment in the face of stiff civil society protests. The protestors alleged a multi-crore-rupee scam by ruling Congress politicians.

The Bombay High Court had also pointed to large scale irregularities in the allotment of land by government agencies.

"The PAC has asked government officials to explain why land was handed over to the SEZ promoters, even before a state SEZ policy could have been formed," Parrikar said.