MARGAO
Yet another academic year and the traffic cops were literally on their toes in the commercial capital to regulate traffic bringing children to the city schools, throwing up the oft-repeated question “ where is the educational hub proposed to bring all Margao-based schools under one place on the outskirts of the city in Davorlim village?
Or, is the government treading a cautious path, with villagers of Davorlim questioning the rationale behind the decision to acquire the land for the city schools when the village lacks basic infrastructure development, including a Health centre.
The educational hub was proposed on land admeasuring 1.15 lakh square metres on the outskirts of Margao, like the Cujira education complex at Bambolim, with the avowed objective to decongest the commercial capital. The land in question was initially acquired by the South Goa district Collector for a public utility purpose during the tenure of former chief minister Digambar Kamat.
While the acquired land was later handed over to the Education Department to set up the proposed educational hub on the lines of Cujira-Bambolim, it’s now over a decade since the government had acquired the land in question, but the educational hub is yet to see the light of the day.
When The Goan called up newly-appointed Education Director Shailesh Zingde to shed light on the proposed educational hub for Margao schools at Davorlim, he said the proposal will be carried forward after taking all the stakeholders into confidence.
“The project is not shelved. The acquired land is in possession of the Education Department. I am aware that questions have been raised by local villagers over the proposed education hub, but we will clear the misconceptions of the locals before going ahead with the project,” Zingde said.
Around 2017, Davorlim villagers had raised serious questions at the gram sabha, questioning the government’s decision to acquire the land of their ancestors for the city schools, when the village stands neglected on the infrastructure front. They pointed out they are not against the educational hub per se provided the government also meets the infrastructure requirements of the village.
Says activist Andrew Rebello: “We have been demanding that the government first resolve the issues raised by the villagers on the infrastructure front. The village lacks basic amenities, including a Health centre. Davorlim needs a Panchayat Ghar and an area for sports activities. The garbage issue is staring at the village for want of land. Hence, the villagers have been demanding that the government and the panchayat accord priority to the village infrastructure instead of giving away the village land to the city schools.”
He added: “Let the government first address the concerns of the villagers and then the villagers will be open for a discussion on the project.”
Villagers are also worried that the educational hub may further aggravate the traffic congestion in the village unless an alternate road is planned, connecting the city to the proposed hub.
Remarked another villager: “The South Goa Collector did not acquire the Davorlim land for the educational hub, but public utilities. In this situation, the government should also fulfil the infrastructure needs of the village.”
Fresh push for shifting Margao schools to proposed edu hub
THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO
Representatives of the Margao-based schools are reported to have made a fresh push for the shifting of the city schools to the proposed education hub at Davorlim.
A delegation of city-school managements is believed to have called on newly-elected Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar seeking his intervention in support of the proposed hub.
Around half a decade ago, a couple of managements of the city-based schools had called on then chief minister Manohar Parrikar with a plea to develop the educational hub by shifting the schools saying it will help the managements provide better educational amenities as well as the development of the students.
The delegation had pointed out in the memorandum that the existing schools in Margao lack facilities, saying classrooms wherein students presently study are congested.
“The city schools have no library cum reading rooms, study rooms, mini auditorium, playground to hold their assembly or sports activities,” the delegation had mentioned in a memorandum submitted to the former chief minister.
MLA favours a dialogue between govt and
villagers; says village infra must get space
THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO
Saying that representatives of Margao-based educational institutions have called on him to expedite the proposed educational hub in Davorlim to the logical conclusion, Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar has favoured dialogue between the government and the villagers to address all concerns raised by the local populace.
Tuenkar too favoured that the village infrastructure should also get space inside the acquired land admeasuring 1.15 lakh square metres.
“It is a fact that Davorlim needs amenities such as hall, garbage treatment facility and sports ground. The land acquired for the proposed educational hub is spacious. I feel that the needs of the locals should find a place inside the acquired land,” he said.
The MLA further pointed out that fears have been expressed in many quarters that the proposed educational hub may result in traffic chaos on the already congested road leading to Davorlim.
“We have to find an alternate road to Davorlim, maybe from the Housing Board side, so that the hub does not result in traffic congestion,” Tuenkar said.
