TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: A week after the government notified section 4 to acquire 6.09 lakh sq mts of land in Cuncolim for the proposed NIT permanent campus, the Cuncolim Municipal Council on Wednesday sought information from the District Collector on a host of queries pertaining to the project.
The Council has sought replies from the Collector before going ahead with the land acquisition proceedings.
After a meeting of the Council on Wednesday evening, Cuncolim Municipal Chairperson Devendra Desai said the Council has asked the Collector to lay bare all information on the benefits of the NIT project for local youth, whether the government has worked out a package for reservation of jobs and seats for the local youth in the institute. “At today’s meeting, the city fathers demanded to know the benefits that would accrue to the local youth and villagers in general. They have also sought to know the impact of the project on the local environment,” Desai said.
The civic body also demanded to know whether the proposed NIT would be run by the government, public private partnership or by private players. The meeting also raised the question of influx of outsiders in the villages on account of the project and whether basic infrastructure was available in the village in terms of water, roads etc.
Replying to a question, the CMC Chairperson said barring one councillor, all the remaining city fathers were of the strong opinion that the government should not go ahead with the NIT project without answering the host of queries and without protecting the interests of the local youth.
The government had last week notified section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act to acquire the whopping chunk of land admeasuring 6.09 lakh sq mts of land, major chunk of which belonged to the Cuncolim Sociedade.
