PANJIM: In a blow to Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’s ambitious project of setting up a National Institute of Marine Biology
and Biotechnology in South Goa, Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC)
has refused to allot two lakh sq mtrs of land at Quittol identified by the
Union Government for the project.
This comes close on the heels of Chief Minister Laxmikant
Parsekar clearing Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s virtual demand for 60,000
odd square meters of land at the adjoining Naqueri village for the Defence Expo
of the Defence ministry
GIDC has maintained that the land is under litigation
and so cannot be handed over. The State government might now have to scout for another
patch of land for the project.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to
Paris in April, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the French
government for setting up an Institute of Marine Biology and Biotechnology in
India, and Goa was identified as the preferred destination. A proposal was
moved to the Goa government’s Department of Science, Technology and
Environment, that had identified around two lakh sq mtrs of land at Quittol Village
in Betul for the project.
GIDC at its board meeting held on December 4,
unanimously resolved to inform the State government that the land in demand is
not in its possession as it is already been allotted to Betul Hospitality
Service for setting up a food park and presently the matter is in court.
“Hence it is not possible to accept the proposal
of establishment of new Institute of Marine Biology and Biotechnology at
Quittol village, in the land allotted to Betul Hospitality Services,” the
minutes of the meeting state.
The land identified for the project is under
survey No. 79/1-A, 80/1, 80/2 and 80/3. It is currently locked in a legal battle as Betul Hospitality had
approached the court in 2007-08, after GIDC directed the company to hand back
the 2 lakh sq mtrs of land made available to them for setting up a food park.
