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Editor, Goemkarponn
AERIAL VIEW
Citizens of Dona Paula in 2007, led by none other then then Taleigao MLA Babush Monseratte, opposed the proposed Rajiv Gandhi IT Park, claiming it was nothing but a ”real estate scam” resulting in an unplanned creation of a township in the plateau.
They had strongly objected to allotting 80 per cent of the plots to the real estate developers. They feared loss of existing crematorium for which there was no provision shown for relocation.
Thereafter, violence broke out with some Congress workers including the then Youth Congress president Sankalp Amonkar allegedly being assaulted by the residents and subsequently the Digambar Kamat government decided to scrap the project.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho on Monday made a shocking announcement that IT Habitat Park at Dona Paula will be revived soon.
Godinho was addressing the media on the sidelines of the Invest Goa 2024 Summit.
“We will soon be reviving the existing ‘IT Habitat’ at Dona Paula for setting up a new IT industry in Goa,” said Godinho.
He further said that whatever happened are the things of the past. “IT companies will come here,” he added.
However, Godinho failed to understand why the IT Habitat project was opposed and subsequently scrapped by the then Congress government in 2007.
Citizens of Dona Paula in 2007, led by none other then then Taleigao MLA Babush Monseratte, opposed the proposed Rajiv Gandhi IT Park, claiming it was nothing but a ”real estate scam” resulting in an unplanned creation of a township in the plateau.
They had strongly objected to allotting 80 per cent of the plots to the real estate developers. They feared loss of existing crematorium for which there was no provision shown for relocation.
Thereafter, violence broke out with some Congress workers including the then Youth Congress president Sankalp Amonkar allegedly being assaulted by the residents and subsequently the Digambar Kamat government decided to scrap the project.
Thereafter, there have been several attempts to bring one or the other projects but they have not succeeded.
In 2013, the state government said it will revive the Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat at Dona Paula by auctioning at least six of the total 18 plots in the habitat in the first phase of revival of the project.
Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, who has been allocated the Information Technology portfolio during the recent portfolio reshuffle, told reporters on Saturday that three of the developers, who had been allotted plots in the habitat, have approached the court, while the rest were paid back their money.
In January 2015, the Goa government announced that the IT habitat project at Dona Paula, which didn’t have takers while it was earmarked, will now be relocated to the 4.5 sq mt of government land near the electricity departments sub-station on Kadamba plateau, within the precincts of Kadamba plateau. But this opposed by a group led by Rudolf Fernandes and hence it was kept on hold.
In 2017, Rohan Khaunte planned to revive the project at CHimbel but had to give up against people’s opposition.
In 2016 the state government decided to transfer land at Dona Paula, which was earlier allotted to the Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat, from Info Tech Corporation of Goa Ltd to the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) for construction of permanent infrastructure for hosting the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.
In December 2022, the Dr Pramod Sawant Cabinet approved the deal with a consortium of three companies to execute and then operate the much delayed project to set up an international convention centre at Dona Paula on a sprawling parcel of land where the now defunct Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat was once proposed.
So now Mauvin Godinho talking of reviving of the IT Habitat project is nothing more than just a declaration as all those people who opposed, supported or scrapped are in BJP fold.
The person who opposed project – Babush Monseratte is a BJP minister, the person who scrapped project Digambar Kamat is in BJP, Sankalp Amonkar who was assaulted by alleged “Babush’ men is in BJP.
Moreover, the person who opposed the project at Chimbel – Rudolf Fernandes is also in the BJP.
Hence, it would be better if Mauvin Godinho consults his collegues before trying to test waters through media on the issue.