SANGUEM
The farming community and environment activists in Sanguem taluka have submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral and others not to interfere with agriculture and forestland in Cotarli-Uguem and Nagvem ward of Quepem to set up IIT at Sanguem.
The memorandum was sent following recent statements by Cabral and Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar welcoming the IIT project on government land at Curchorem and Sanguem after the project was moved out of Melauli-Sattari following bitter public opposition.
In their memorandum, the farmers recalled their agitation in 2017 and 2018 against the government’s proposal to set up the IIT on government land at Sanguem and Quepem, after the project was rejected by locals of Loliem-Canacona.
Stating that the land is partially under paddy cultivation interspersed with dense forest cover and a hillock, the memorandum stated that the area is inhabited by wild animals and is home to various wildlife like bison, pangolin, leopard, foxes and rabbits.
The farmers claimed that after their protests, the government was convinced by their concerns and ultimately shifted the project to Melauli in Sattari.
The farmers insisted that the rejection of the IIT project by locals in Melauli was no reason for political leaders to welcome it back to Sanguem and Quepem, where it was already rejected by the people.
The farmers warned the State government not to play with the sentiments of farmers and attempt to get the project back to Sanguem.
Meanwhile, a large number of farmers from Sanguem and a group of environmentalists led by Abhijit Prabhudessai convened a meeting in Sanguem on Tuesday to oppose the IIT project at Sanguem.
The meeting was addressed by Prabhudessai, Teotonio D’Costa, Constancio Mascarenhas, Jeetendra Naik and Josephine Fernandes.
