Under opposition pressure, Guleli panchayat refuses NOC to IIT compound

VALPOI
Under pressure from growing local opposition to the IIT project in Shel-Melauli, the Guleli panchayat declined to issue an NOC for the IIT compound on Tuesday.

The decision to reject the proposal for a compound at the project site was taken after all seven members were present at a special meeting in the panchayat office.

The decision evoked widespread cheer from the anti-IIT protesters who had assembled outside the panchayat office and they warned the government that their agitation would continue till the project is move out of the village.

According to locals, the IIT management had submitted a proposal for a compound and had sought an NOC from the panchayat.

The proposal was discussed in the panchayat meeting and the anti-IIT protesters assembled outside the panchayat office. Mindful of growing pressure from the anti-IIT protesters, the panchayat members decided not to issue its NOC to the compound wall.

The protesters welcomed the panchayat’s decision as a victory for their agitation and said their agitation would continue till the project is moved out from the village.

“People have shown great unity in opposing the project as it will destroy biodiversity in the area. The government should take the agitation seriously and shift the project to another area,” said Shashikant Savardekar, one of the leaders of the anti-IIT agitation.

When contacted, Guleli Sarpanch Apoorva Chari confirmed that the proposal for the compound had been placed before the panchayat and all panch members had opposed the proposal when the matter came up for discussion.

Given the tensions over the issue, a strong police force was deployed outside the panchayat office as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.