Sanguem farmers oppose IIT project, suggest alternate sites

Quepem: Farmers from Cotarli in Sanguem have opposed the proposed Indian institute of technology (IIT) project on agricultural land, pleading that they should not be pushed to take drastic steps like their counterparts in Maharashtra.
The villagers contend that the livelihood of over 300 families is at stake if the project comes up. “The project will not only destroy our agricultural land, but will be an environmental disaster, as the land is partly-forested and covers a hill,” a villager said. Kiragall Panivatto Sanstha (KPS), a group which has extended support to farmers has suggested alternative sites. The farmers also endorsed shifting the project to either Kostimoll in Sanguem, or Pedamoll in Quepem taluka.

With over 400 signatures collected on a memorandum, KPS, headed by Constancio Mascarenhas, has petitioned agriculture minister Vijai Sardesai to intervene and said that farmers are not opposed to setting up of the project in Sanguem but are against destruction of their agricultural land.

The site is barely five kilometers from the Selaulim irrigation project and a major part of the area it falls under is the ‘command area’. “If the government has set up the dam to increase cultivation, then why does the government intend to acquire the land for the IIT project?” Josephina Colaco, 60, a local asked.

The ban on mining had turned most people to agriculture for their living.

In February, the government started sending notices to farmers and landowners for signing their consent terms through the Quepem and Sanguem mamlatdars, with documentary evidence.

Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar said, “I will convene a meeting with the villagers along with government officials. If they don’t want the IIT project, then I will stand by the people,” Gaonkar said.