the goan I network
CANACONA
The IIT issue seems to have come back to haunt some Loliem residents opposing the prestigious national institute campus from setting up its shop at Bhagwati plateau.
According to sources, as team of surveyors visited Loliem and proceeded to Bhatwati plateau,
which was in the eye of storm, many locals opposed it, before government announced to shift the IIT-Goa campus in Sanguem taluka.
There were reports that government suddenly stopped its ongoing activities of surveying and other related works, which were taken up at an secluded spot in Sanguem village. The sudden stoppage of IIT-related activities in Sanguem has however, given some anxiety to the people at Loliem, who had tooth and nail opposed the IIT-Goa project in their village, and particularly on eco-sensitive Bhagwati plateau, citing various reasons.
Their fear has come true, when some people noticed some visitors attempting to carry out a survey of sorts on Bhagwati Plateau, three days ago, and some people quickly accosted them and forced to stop any sort of activities on the plateau.
The survey/visitors team which reportedly had assistant director of Technical Education sought to inform that they have been asked only to mark some points on the plateau and are not aware it was for what reason.
Some sources told The Goan that the surveyors team led by Directorate of Technical Education Assistant Director was forced to leave, while another sources informed the surveyors could carry on any activities due to heavy growth of vegetation on the plateau.
When contacted, Loliem-Polem Sarpanch Ajay Lolienkar
neither denied nor confirmed the developments saying he has not received any official communiqué from the government regarding IIT in the village. "Yes, I heard some people had come to conduct an unspecified survey and people suspected them to be part of activities regarding IIT campus," he said.
