MARGAO: Subhash Phal Desai, the Minister for Social Welfare, has indicated that the eagerly awaited Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) project in Goa will commence within the next
three months.
He revealed that a suitable parcel of land in Rivona, Sanguem, has been identified as a potential location for the IIT. However, the final selection of the site hinges on an impending inspection by an expert committee, scheduled to take place within the next 15 days. This committee will assess various factors, including the absence of agricultural activities, minimal tree cutting, and the absence of hill cutting requirements.
It’s worth noting that two sites in the Sanguem taluka have been under consideration for the IIT project, with Rivona emerging as the more favoured option. In the event that the committee rejects the land in Sanguem, an alternative site in Canacona will be explored.
Minister Phal Desai spoke about the importance of bringing the IIT to Sanguem constituency, expressing confidence that its establishment will significantly contribute to the constituency’s development.
He added that two potential sites within Sanguem have already undergone thorough documentation, and the final site for the IIT project will be determined shortly. Construction work is expected to commence within the next three months.
Over the past seven years, the Goa government has made several attempts to identify a sizeable parcel of land to set up the permanent campus for the IIT- Goa, which currently operates from a campus at Farmagudi that it shares with the State-run Goa Engineering College. However, every attempt was met with stiff opposition from villagers, who stood to lose their agricultural, pastoral or forest land, and fought tooth and nail to retain their lands.
