After opposition at three places, Goa Govt identifies fourth site for IIT

Panaji: After facing stiff opposition to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) project at three sites, the Goa government has identified another place at Rivona in Sanguem taluka.

South Goa Collector Asvin Chandru A, IAS, has issued a public notice in this regard stating “land in Rivona village of Sanguem is needed or is likely to be needed for setting up a permanent campus of IIT-Goa.” The land measures around 10 lakh sq mt.

Set up in July 2016, the IIT Goa campus is temporarily housed in Goa Engineering College (GEC) in Ponda-South district.

While working towards making Goa an educational hub, the government has also faced agitation while trying to provide land to such a big educational project.

Initially land was identified at Canacona in South Goa, which was cancelled on account of protests. Later it was identified in Shel-Melauli in Sattari taluka of North Goa but the project over there had to be shelved due to protests by the people citing the environment.

After the move to shift the project to Cotarli in Sanguem met with objections from the IIT site selection committee, the government has identified a new site in Rivona in Sanguem taluka.

Sanguem MLA and Minister for Archives and Archaeology, Subhash Phaldesai said, “The land which was proposed was rejected because it was not sufficient. Now we have identified a 10 lakh sq mt area. Land finalisation has been done. The Government will go ahead with it.”