VALPOI
Sentiments against the proposed IIT project have now echoed across Sattari, with several villages now joining the ongoing agitation of locals in Shel-Melauli.
Given the growing momentum against the controversial project with each passing day, ever since clashes erupted between police and protesters last week, a government team did not visit the site to conduct survey work, while police presence was noticeably less on Tuesday.
But that did not stop locals from Shel-Melauli from continuing their protest against the IIT project near the Jalmi temple.
While the protests had initially remained confined to locals of Shel-Melauli, police action against locals of Shel-Melauli last week had angered people in Sattari taluka.
Locals from Dhamshe had immediately gone in support of the Shel-Melauli locals, followed by locals of Mauxi, Khotoda and Velguem.
On Tuesday, locals of Saleli, Caranzol, Pal-Thane, Sheer-Sawarde, Guleli, Barazan, Kumthol and Karmali also joined in the anti-IIT agitation, with hundreds of people assembling at the protest site.
Speaking to reporters, Tukaram Gaonkar said villagers of Saleli had decided to unconditionally support the agitation of Shel-Melauli locals, following a meeting in the village on Monday evening.
“Locals of Melauli are struggling to earn a livelihood and since we are all sons of Sattari, it is our responsibility to support their agitation. The government should reconsider the project as it will not benefit people of Sattari,” said Gaonkar. “The government should have taken locals into consideration before finalising the project,” he added.
Later on Tuesday evening, the agitating locals of Shel-Melauli reiterated their demand for land ownership rights and the scrapping of the project.
Responding to statements of Vishwajit Rane voicing support to agitating locals and requesting CM to shift the IIT project elsewhere, the Shel-Melauli villagers have demanded a written assurance.
