CANACONA
Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phaldessai’s visit to the Bhagwati plateau in Loliem on Sunday and his claims that the “barren land” could be utilised by government for the IIT project, Film City or some hinterland tourism project has evoked sharp reactions from locals in the village.
Efforts to set up the IIT project in Loliem some years ago had been met with stiff resistance from locals, prompting the State government to abandon its plan.
Responding to the minister’s visit and his claims regarding the Bhagwati plateau, Citizens Committee of Loliem (CCL) President Dennis Fernandes questioned claims that the land is barren.
“Only a barren mind can call the land barren. How can a computer engineer come to the plateau and call it a barren land? Environmental experts to ascertain this claim. This (plateau) is home to bison, leopards, 5 different species of deer, slender loris, pangolin, giant squirrel, Dipcadi Concanese, and scores of other critically endangered species, giving it the highest protected status,” said Fernandes.
“The powers of the land, our ancestors, and future generations will protect its plateau. The people of Loliem will fight to keep the plateau untouched, come what may!” he added.
Asked for his comments and the panchayat’s position on the recent developments, ruling panch member and ex-Sarpanch Ajay (Ajit) Lolienkar said: “It is not proper to pass comments now, as except for rumours nothing is known to have come officially in the panchayat.”
“I will comment once the panchayat understands government’s actual intentions to inspect or explore the Bhagwati plateau or for that matter any other vacant land in the village.’
When reminded that Phaldessai was on record as having stated that the government is exploring all vacant lands to put them to fruitful use, Lolienkar replied: “These are just rumours. Let something come officially, and we will react accordingly.”
Former Loliem-Polem Sarpanch Bhushan Prabhugaonkar, who was in the midst of controversy when public opposition had forced the government to abandon the IIT project in Loliem, was seen accompanying the minister during his visit to the plateau on Sunday.
Prabhugaonkar is also a former attorney of Loliem Communidade and now a member, in whose name the Bhagwati plateau stands.
According to Prashant Pagi, RG candidate of Canacona constituency and a resident of Loliem, said the people had already rejected the IIT project.
“A resolution passed at a specially convened gram sabha at the time still stands good even now. There is no change in it. People were very clear to say that they don’t want anything on Bhagwati plateau and that resolution still stands,” said Pagi.
“If it is forcefully thrust on us again, people will certainly come out in double force once again to oppose the misuse of Bhagwati plateau. We have already started receiving calls from concerned people in this connection.”
