Foundation stone for IIT Goa campus at Sanguem to be laid in 6 months: CM

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant urges agitating residents to get united and work for the IIT as only they will get opportunities in non-teaching jobs from the IIT project.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the foundation stone for setting up of IIT-Goa project will be laid within the next six months. Ever since an IIT was allotted to Goa by the Centre in 2014, the institute started functioning in a temporary campus housed on the Goa Engineering College (GEC) campus located in Ponda. 

The IIT-Goa campus proposed at Sanguem in South Goa is facing opposition from the locals, and recently people also staged protests in Panaji, around 60 km from the proposed site. South Goa District Collector Jyoti Kumarihad also issued orders imposing Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. Under the order, a gathering of five or more people within 200 metres from the demarcated site in Cotarli village panchayat with the intention to disrupt or delay the process of survey and demarcation of the proposed IIT site was prohibited.  

"Just 8 to 10 people were protesting against the IIT in the capital city. Media should understand what should be highlighted. Doesn't the media want development," Sawant asked, while attending a programme in Sanguem. He said such opposition for developmental works will not be tolerated. 

"This government is for the people. We all should get united and work for the IIT. Within the next six months, we can lay the foundation stone," Sawant said, adding that only locals from the area will get opportunities in non-teaching jobs. 

CM appeals to locals to withdraw protest 

"I appeal to those agitating against the project to withdraw the protest and submit documents to the collector if they have land in the proposed area. It is my responsibility to compensate them," Sawant said. 

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