SANGUEM
The demarcation process for the proposed IIT project at Sanguem finally began under heavy police protection on Friday.
An army of men in uniform was stationed at the entry point of the proposed site to keep at bay any protesters planning to disturb the survey operations.
A team of surveyors along with Sanguem MLA Subhash Phaldessai reached to the site early morning today to conduct the survey operations of the proposed site.
Incidentally, no one from the farming community, which has been opposing the project since the last one month, remained present at the site, allegedly for fear being charged by the police.
The survey operations went off peacefully today with no untoward incident.
Before the start of the demarcation process, Sanguem MLA Subhash Phaldessai along with some IIT supporters offered prayers to the local deity and Lord Paikdev for peaceful conduct of demarcation process and also for peace to prevail among all locals, till the project gets approval from authorities.
Phaldessai sought the blessings of the local deity by pronouncing in the open that he has no personal interest of whatsoever nature in the project, but it is solely for the benefit of the locals and the overall development of Sanguem taluka at large that he wants the project to come up at Sanguem.
Reiterating that the project, if commissioned at Sanguem, will lead to job opportunities to the locals and also open avenues in other business sector, Phaldessai urged the farmers who claim to have farm lands at the proposed site to meet him personally and redress their issues.
“I have no intention to harm anyone but let's all come together to get the IIT project at Sanguem in a peaceful manner,” claimed Phaldessai.
He further claimed that except for a couple of encroachers on the proposed government land which could be around 20,000 sq mtrs there is no agricultural activity being performed in the area.
“However, notwithstanding the encroachment without legal title, the government is still open to settle the farmers claim,” added Phaldessai.
“Taking into consideration the proposed IIT project at Sanguem, the government has planned several other development projects in the vicinity of the Selaulim Dam, such as a handicrafts village, toy trains, fountains and the like at the cost of around Rs 90 crore, which will finally add to the overall development of Sanguem constituency,” claimed Phaldessai.
He said the IIT project, once commissioned, will give local students from Sanguem the change to study at Kendriya Vidyalaya, to be set up within the campus.
“Moreover, it will also open up avenues for locals to take coaching in sports fields inside the campus,” said the MLA.
“The project is purely an educational institute and will not lead to any destruction of the pristine land,” claimed Phaldessai.
“The IIT student community from Goa who otherwise have to travel to IITs located elsewhere in the country will get first preference at the proposed IIT to be set up at Sanguem. As of now around 20 students from Goa are studying at IITs stationed outside Goa,” he added.
