Team Herald
SANGUEM: Farmers from Cotarli and Naguem in Sanguem taluka vehemently opposed the proposed IIT project in Sanguem saying it would destroy their livelihood by damaging their cultivable fields, besides putting tremendous stress on infrastructure facility such as water and electricity.
Briefing media persons, Ena Costa from Sanguem said the students, staff and their family members together will number around 10,000 people who will occupy the 13,00,200 sq mts of land proposed for the IIT project.
“From where will these people get their water and electricity,” she asked while pointing out that the flora and fauna of the mountain where the IIT is proposed will also be lost forever. She lamented that the Collector has had meetings only with the owners of the land proposed to be acquired for the project while other affected people have not been given an ear.
“As local farmers, we are affected and our land will be affected as we will not be able to cultivate our fields in future as we will not get water and around 300 people are affected,” she said.
Constancio Mascarenhas, another farmer, accused local MLA Prasad Gaonkar of making a “U” turn as he is now supporting the project, while earlier he had said he was with the people opposing it. Mascarenhas said that the IIT will consume 5 MLD water every day.
“If the government fences our agricultural land we shall be able to cultivate it properly as cattle and wild boar is becoming a real menace for cultivation now,” he said and accused the officials of not abiding by the Right to Information Act.
“Where will the garbage generated by the 10,000 occupants of the IIT go and how will it be treated?” he asked while pointing out that only 25% of the jobs will be given to Goans. He demanded that all the employment opportunities at the IIT should be given to local Goans.
Maria Cruz, another farmer, wondered why the government always targets the farmers. “Curdi farmers sacrificed their land for the Selaulim dam and today they do not get water; worst still is the fact that the alternate land allotted to them is not yet transferred in their names,” she said.
She said they have channelised water from the natural springs to their fields and all their hard work would be in vain if the IIT is established on the scenic and naturally endowed mountain where it is proposed.
“Nearly 6 lakh square mts of land proposed for the IIT belongs to farmers while the government claims to have around 9 lakh sq mts of land,” she said adding that the farmers are totally against the project coming up in their area.
