CANACONA
Sarpanch Bhushan Prabhugaonkar, as chairman of gram sabha, while welcoming IIT officials and Loliem-Polem villagers, at the onset stated that members can raise only IIT-related issues, to which the IIT officials would respond and leave the venue, and later a resolution will be moved in the gram sabha and will be put to vote, if required.
The sarpanch also requested members to avoid personal attacks and also listen to what the IIT officials had to say in a peaceful manner.
After holding deliberations that lasted for two hours in the presence of over 1,500 members on the open ground of Damodar Vidyalaya, the sarpanch without moving any resolution on the proposed IIT project as assured in his opening remarks, abruptly adjourned the meet, triggering chaos.
Once the IIT officials team left the venue, the sarpanch made an announcement saying, “We have presence of members numbering over 1,500 and only 500 have signed so far. It's already 1 pm now and it will be evening if we begin to collect the remaining signatures. Hence, my decision is “ I hereby adjourn this extra-ordinary gram sabha.”
This prompted people to react angrily, with some shouting that they are willing to stay even the whole night, if required.
Some panchas on the dais swiftly blocked the panchayat secretary Manjunath Gaonkar from leaving the venue and were heard asking Gaonkar to appoint new chairman of the gram sabha and continue with the meeting.
“Let the sarpanch go away, as he has gone against the wishes of the people. You appoint a new chairman and continue the gram sabha as people are shouting for concluding it,” said a local.
The sarpanch summoned the police to help the secretary leave the dais and the venue. The policemen then escorted the secretary and whisked him away in a police jeep.
Once down the dais, the sarpanch had to face the members' ire, with some charging at him. The police had to force him to enter a car, which was swiftly blocked by angry people, but the police surrounded the car and helped it move out and drove away.
Earlier, a tense situation was brewing right from the start, with the strong presence of members and one group shouting against the other, while speakers from anti-IIT and pro-IIT groups sought to put forth their opinions.
On a numerous occasions, both the factions came face-to-face and police had to intervene to calm tempers.
People raised issues on water, electricity, roads, garbage, number of students and faculties (and their families) in campus, need to destroy eco-sensitive plateau with concrete jungle, fate of wild habitat, razing of private forests, disturbances in religious rituals, non-response from state or central government for petitions submitted, etc.
IIT officials Nila Mohanan, Prof Shivprasad (IIT-Mumbai), Prof Rodney Fernandes (IIT-Powai) and Jyoti Prakash, (IIT co-ordinator) sought to respond to several queries raised by the members.
Panch Shailesh Pagui, Santana Da Costa, CCL president Denis Fernandes, Dr Aman Prabhugaonkar, Manoj Prabhugaonkar, etc, were some who spoke for and against the IIT.
A strong police force of over 75 police personnel, including lady constables, with many in plain clothes led by DySP Sammy Tavares, PI Ravi Dessai, besides several PSIs including PSI Prashal Dessai and others helped thwart conflicts.
Canacona Deputy Collector Kedar Naik, Canacona Mamlatdar Ramesh Gaonkar and Joint Mamlatdar Gauns Dessai also remained present to avert any law and order problems.
