CANACONA
Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phaldessai on Sunday said that the government is exploring all the idle lands to put them to fruitful use.
Phaldessai was on a visit to the Bhagwati Plateau along with Loliem residents.
Speaking to the media about the purpose of his visit, Phaldessai said: "The government has decided to utilise the idle lands in the State, and it is for that purpose that experts in the fields have been told to explore the possibilities and feasibility of the lands to any specific project. My idle land and I am saying that if my land is suitable and feasible for the IIT project and soil testing is done, then I am going to see who comes to block it. This is my challenge."
"Those who say that wherever the IIT is planned, it has been forced to stop? The project is not stopped, the thing is that it is a fact that experts found it is marshy land, and IIT is not feasible. Now, I had shown a different land, and if it is feasible, IIT will come up there, and I am going to see who comes to stop it. I am doing it in my house," he added.
Speaking further, Phaldessai said: "I want the IIT project because we are suffering. Presently, there are 22-23 Goan IIT students spread all over the world. If an institution of IIT's calibre transpires in Goa, it would have been 100 from Goa instead of just 23 students this year. I can provide data. So let's explore all the possibilities."
Answering a question about whether IIT is being explored at Bhagwati Plateau, Phaldessai shot back, "It can be IIT, there are 2-3 projects being explored. It can be a Film City, besides other projects, but non-polluted green projects, without affecting the livelihood and providing employment. We want to see where there is barren land, which has not been utilised for centuries and has to be brought under production. Something should take place in such land."
It may be recalled that after a sustained struggle and stiff opposition by Loliem locals against the government proposal for the IIT project at Bhagwati Plateau, it was finally withdrawn citing that the land available land there is not in keeping with the actual requirements for a prestigious project of IIT-Goa.
The IIT project shifted to Melauli and also met with a similar fate, and later the Central government rejected the Sanguem project citing the land's non-feasibility.
Loliem“Polem former sarpanch when asked on the minister’s visit, informed that an agency had visited the Bhagwati plateau to explore the feasibility to set up or utilise the vacant land for any non-polluting projects, possibly a Film City or projects alike in Canaocna.
Minister Phaldessai too accompanied them and the minister is also visiting most talukas in South Goa including Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona with an agency appointed by the government to explore and set up non-polluting projects, so that unemployed youths could get employment.
According to sources, another team had come to Bhagwati Plateau and inspected the land last month.
