The farmers opposing IIT project at Cotarli in Sanguem on Sunday held a late evening meeting at Orcotto to reiterate their stand to oppose the project.
At the meeting, the speakers once again warned the government and Sanguem MLA Subhash Phaldessai of repercussions if they proceed with their plan to bulldoze the farm lands to pave the way for the project.
One of the speakers, Joseph Fernandes, appealed to the government to not to play with the sentiments of the farmers and warned of a larger agitation if any fresh attempts were made to get back the project on the agricultural land at Cotarli despite the Centre rejecting the proposal.
Another farmer, Milton Fernandes, said, “We are firm on our stand. We will not permit and allow any government authority to cause any construction activities on our farm lands and the hillock which has been preserved by our ancestors for generations together.”
“All this time we have led a peaceful agitation. If time comes, we will come on the road and show our strength. Don’t allow this to happen. It is time for the government to step back else the incidental happenings as that took place at Shell Melaulim will be repeated at Sanguem,” the farmers claimed.
A panchayat Member from Molcornem, Frazier Dcosta, and a local farmer, Kiran Malkarnekar, wondered the benefits the government and the Sanguem MLA get through this project.
