Team Herald
PANJIM: The shifting of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Goa campus, to Guleli, Sattari from its earlier site in Sanguem has upset local MLA Prasad Gaonkar, who was ecstatic that Sanguem was selected as IIT’s permanent venue.
The legislator has demanded that Goa government bring back IIT to Sanguem as the land identified for the campus at Guleli’s is partly encroached on.
“Three options of land in Sanguem were given to the government. The third site at Ugem is more than 17 lakh sq mtrs and if the government wants, the construction of the building can begin tomorrow. But the government chose 13 lakh sq mtrs at Guleli of which 2 lakh sq mtrs is the encroachment portion,” Gaonkar said addressing a press conference in the capital on Wednesday.
The legislator denied any opposition to the setting up of IIT in Sanguem claiming that certain sections that opposed the proposed project were not directly a part of it. “However, in the case of the first site from survey number 21/1 to 21/7, the owner of the first survey number created a confusion,” he said.
“The Ugem site is fully ready for setting up the IIT campus and it is bigger than Guleli, too. Moreover, there are no issues about the land in Ugem, whereas Guleli’s 2 lakh sq mtrs are encroached,” Gaonkar said adding that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was briefed about all the three sites at Sanguem.
Upset that government has not considered Ugem, Gaonkar sought that government should look at Sanguem as this taluka has “contributed enough to the State exchequer.”
“We have generated revenue for the government through various activities in the last three years. We have been a great asset to the government, but why is South Goa ignored? In fact, when there was an opposition to IIT in Canacona, we came forward to give our land,” he said adding, “The government should think of developing Sanguem and one step is setting up IIT Goa campus.”
Valpoi MLA and Minister Vishwajit Rane has his gratitude to the CM for bringing the project in Sattari taluka.
