PONDA: Social Welfare Minister and Sanguem MLA Subhash Phal Desai on Sunday stuck to his stand stating that the proposed IIT project will come up at Sanguem only and that the government had three alternate plans in case the IIT does not come up at the proposed site.
It may be recalled that farmers from Sanguem opposing the IIT project at Cotarli, on Saturday celebrated their “IIT victory” after receiving a communication from the Centre which stated that the land proposed by State for project is not being considered. The farmers burst fire crackers and offered prayers to all local deities and Our Lady of Milagres.
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While celebrating their victory, the agitators also said that they will continue to remain vigilant over the issue to thwart any fresh moves by the Sanguem MLA to get the project in Sanguem.
Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a function at Farmagudi, Phal Desai said, “IIT needs vast strata of land and present site identified for IIT faces hurdles of a hillock.
Of the seven lakh square metres of land, some is not usable and so the government needs an additional three lakh square metres. At any cost, the IIT project will be set up at Sanguem only, will not move out of Sanguem taluka.”
The MLA said, “We have three alternate plans. Plans may change but I will ensure that the IIT project will be constructed on government land in Sanguem taluka. Some people want to grab government land and some people, who are claiming to be farmers don’t have Kisan Cards.”
On Saturday the farmers heaved a big sigh of relief after receiving the communication from Kavita Sharma, Under Secretary to Government of India stating that the land proposed by Government of Goa for setting up of permanent IIT campus at Cotarli is not being considered.
The letter dated December 12, 2022 is addressed to Sanguem Bachao Andolan chairman Constancio Mascarenhas in reply to his complaint to Central Government that the Goa Government is using violent, criminal intimidation and misusing government machinery to usurp tribal lands in the State.
Highly elated over the reply, the agitating farmers had claimed that truth has prevailed over falsities set by Sanguem MLA Subhash Phal Desai, who has been all out to get the project set up on the pristine farmlands at Cotarli amidst a mountain which occupies over two lakh square metres of land.
Mascarenhas, who has been at the helm of agitation along with Milton Fernandes, Joseph Fernandes, Santano Rodrigues and Francisca Gomes had urged Phal Desai not to act in a dictatorial manner.
