As the BJP-led government has proposed a world-class permanent venue and convention centre for hosting the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) at Dona Paula, at a site where the controversial Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat project was proposed in 2006, the biggest question here is whether the ambitious project will get support from the locals, who had strongly objected to the massive IT project earlier, forcing the then government to stall it.
The former local MLA and the uncrowned king of Taleigao constituency Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate will be the ultimate deciding factor for the project to come up on land spread across 2.97 lakh sq mtrs. It was Monserrate, who had in 2008, led a mob destroying the entire project and even brutally attacking the Youth Congress workers, supporting the project.
“It is just a cabinet decision so far. Nothing has come to the panchayat or the local MLA (Jennifer Monserrate). I cannot comment anything at this stage unless, I know what exactly the proposal is and how it is going to benefit the locals here,” Monserrate told Herald.
“I was not against the IT Habitat Project but against the manner in which the IT project was converted into a real estate scam. There was nothing for the IT sector,” the St Cruz MLA, who is currently booked by police over the illegal assault, clarified.
While Jennifer remained unavailable for comment, her husband Babush said that the villagers will decide on whether they want the project. “Let the Gram Sabha decide on it. I am with the people. I cannot comment on their behalf,” he said.
The State Cabinet on March 30 decided to transfer land admeasuring 2.97 lakh sq mtrs from InfoTech Corporation of Goa Limited to the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) for construction of a permanent venue for hosting IFFI in 2019.
The facilities will include a convention centre, cinema theaters, a hotel with 1000-plus rooms, an office of the Directorate of Film Festival (DFF), office of the ESG and other required infrastructure related to the event.
“The land at Taleigao, which is in possession of InfoTech Corporation of Goa limited, where initially an IT park was planned is to be transferred to ESG for construction of a permanent venue and convention centre for hosting IFFI,” the Cabinet note reads.
When contacted, Taleigao Sarpanch Janu Rozario said that the government has not taken the Panchayat’s consent to transfer the land. “I have to consult with other Panchayat members and even villagers before taking any decision. We have not got any proposal from government so far,” he said.
Rozario said that the consent of the local MLA would be also taken before taking any call.
The ambitious IT Habitat project of the then Congress government was formally inaugurated by the Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in 2006 but work on it was stopped in December 2007 due to violent protests that had damaged the project infrastructure. It was the pet project of the then IT Minister Dayanand Narvekar.
A total of 20 plots were allotted by the government to various companies; but the BJP-government after coming to power in 2012 cancelled all the land allotment. The government had to pay around Rs 140 crore to the land allottees to get back the land.
The Government has now allotted land at Chimbel to set up an IT Park and the work to set up the infrastructure is currently on.
