Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA – If people thought the Chief Minister’s hint of bringing the IIT-Goa campus back to Canacona was a shoot in the air, think twice, as examining a particular land in Canacona has already been done taken place, now a week ago.
According to reliable sources, a communidade land admeasuring over 9.5 lakhs sq m on an isolated Kulti Plateau in Poinguinim village is examined by around 12 top officers, including Secretary (Education) and Director of Higher Education(Prasad Lolayekar).
‘The land inspection was also carried out previously, ‘ confirmed Poinguinim Communidade Ex-Attorney Yogesh Prabhugaongkar.
After people have strongly objected to the setting up IIT on Bhagwati Plateau in Loliem-Polem village, some have also suggested a vacant and barren land on Kulti Plateau (Poinguinim village), but no serious thoughts were given, nor even any attempts were made to examine the available land.
While nearly 14 lakhs sq m of land was taken into consideration for setting up the IIT campus, Kulti Plateau reportedly has over 9.5 lakhs sqm of land in two different survey numbers, which can be provided for setting up of the IIT-Goa campus, which according to sources, than Poinguinim Communidade body has also offered to the government, anticipating employment generation to the villagers.
The large tract of this particular Communidade land was once before was also proposed for an Industrial Estate during the tenure of ex-Poinguinim MLA Jagdish Acharya; the proposal died down due to the non-support of the then and subsequent governments.
Incidentally, this land is nearby to the Konkan Railway tracks, an Electrical Sub-station is located nearby, while Talpona river and seacoast are also at short distances, while there is a Hot-mixing plant set up by a contractor, and more importantly, there is already an existing approach road to this land, and many believe this land could be the very ideal location to house the prestigious educational institute (IIT-Goa) in Goa. ‘Years before during congress regime in the centre, Border Security Force has also proposed to acquire this land and had even agreed to pay 200 cr of rupees to settle the acquisition to the State Government, however, the proposal’ didn’t materialize for unknown reasons’, Prabhugaongkar informed.
‘We believe the government will certainly give its nod to set up IIT-Goa campus in Poinguinim, as there is no opposition from any angle, besides it will a win-win situation for the people at large, feels Yogesh Prabhugaongkar.
Sources added that soon after IIT Goa was being planned to be shifted out of Canacona following protests at Loliem village, besides Poinguinim Communidade, Shrishthal panchayat had also offered to provide land, but the government with its form decision to move out IIT and shift it out of Canacona, allotted it to Sanguem only to find uprising of growing opposition thereto and moved it to Melauli in Sattari taluka. When in fact, people’s agitations in Melauli were turning to the worst, Ex-Dy Speaker and then Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes made fervent pleas to bring back IIT-Goa to Canacona and has even proposed Kulti Plateau in Poinguinim, Land in Shristhal (being offered by Shrishthal panchayat), another location in erstwhile Nagorcem-Palolem and an isolated location in Agonda panchayat, but as the government then seized of the people growing opposition at Melauli didn’t pay any attention to the requests of Fernandes, added sources.
The opposition at Melauli, which turned violent at times, forced the government again to shelve the project in Sattari too and began to look for yet another location, with CM assuring to finalize a new location within 3 months.
If government finally settles for Kulti Plateau or any other areas in Canacona taluka, IIT – Goa will take a complete round-about to settle back in Canacona.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, in a facilitation function held recently in Canacona, has hinted at allotting a top educational institute to Canacona.
Incidentally, it is learnt that the inspection held by the 12 members officials is just a preliminary one and some places are likely to be inspected in the day to come, particularly in Canacona and another two Taluka’s, sources added.
