Ruling MLA raises red flag over new IIT-Goa campus

Panaji, Sep 4 (IANS) An independent MLA in Goa on Wednesday opposed the relocation of the IIT-Goa campus, saying the newly proposed site at Guleli village in North Goa is plagued with encroachment issues.

Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar, who is a part of the ruling BJP-led coalition government, has proposed that a site which had been previously identified for setting up the IIT campus in his constituency of Sanguem was ideal for the purpose.

"I do not know the reason why the government overnight decided to relocate the IIT Goa campus to Guleli in Sattari sub district. The newly identified campus is spread over 13 lakh sq. mts out of which around four lakh sq. mts is full of encroachments. So, in effect the IIT will only get 9 lakh sq. mts land," Gaonkar told a press conference on Wednesday.

The Goa government has been dilly dallying for nearly three years over allocating land to the IIT-Goa, which is currently functioning out of a temporary campus located at the Goa Engineering College in Farmagudi village in South Goa.

On August 30, the Goa cabinet cleared a proposal for setting up a permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Technology in Guleli village.

Two sites previously identified by the state government, in Canacona and Sanguem sub districts, for setting up a permanent campus for the IIT were scrapped, in the face of protests from local residents and after pressure from the Opposition, which had alleged a land scam in shortlisting of sites for the top technology institute.

Gaonkar said that he had spoken to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant about reversing his decision and re-allocating the elite institute's campus to Sanguem, where it was previously planned to be set up.