As the agitation against the proposed IIT project at Sanguem entered the 50th day, the agitating farmers under the banner of ‘Amkam Naka IIT’ got a boost when the Chicalim Youth Farmers Club (CYFC) joined the protest and stood in solidarity with the farmers of Sanguem.
The CYFC members personally visited the fields of these agitating farmers and property demarcated for IIT project, which includes the entire hill that houses even leopards and other wildlife.
A press note issued by CYFC President Shogun Fernandes and CYFC Secretary Chelsea Fernandes stated that the youth farmers along with their mentor and Chicalim Parish Priest Fr Bolmax Pereira visited Sanguem and extended their support to the agitating farmers who have been demanding that their fields be protected from being destroyed by the government.
“The CYFC in solidarity with Sanguem farmers and all Goan farmers demanded the shifting of the proposed IIT from these farmlands of Sanguem to alternate lands available in Goa,” stated the press note.
The CYFC expressed their “deep anxiety and disappointment at the efforts of the State government of trying to set up IIT in Sanguem under the pretext of so-called “development” policy that looks more beneficial to the real estate lobby and will lead towards the displacement of the farmers and loss of their agriculture land.”
The youth said they were enraged with emerging “anti-people and anti-Goa amendments” proposed by the Chief Town Planner under the Goa Land Development and Building Construction (Amendment) Regulations, 2022 and another notification by Revenue Department to amend the Goa Land Revenue (conversion of use of land and non-agricultural assessment) Rules, 1969.
They claimed these amendments threaten fragile ecosystem of Goa abundant with natural resources, lush green paddy fields, gurgling rivers, white sands and exotic forests.
“It is clear that these amendments will open the gates for widespread destruction of the remaining green areas of Goa at the hands of greedy land speculators and will displace Goans on an unprecedented scale.”
“The amendments proposed from time to time seem to suggest that our lands are being gifted to the real estate developers and land sharks posing an irreversible threat to Goan identity itself. These amendments are being forced upon the people of Goa by overruling the parent laws, underestimating needs of the fragile land and ignoring the people of Goa,” stated the CYFC press note.
