PANAJI: Melauli residents on Monday threatened to agitate against the government if it fails to withdraw the cases of attempt to murder against the children and revert the land allotted to IIT-Goa within 15 days.
Referring to the assurance of the chief minister Pramod Sawant that land allotted to IIT-Goa will be reverted back, Guleli panch Shashikant Sanvordekar said, “Till date, the land is not reverted legally.”
“We have given letters to the CM and other authorities to withdraw the attempt to murder cases and revert the land to original position. If the state government does not act on our demands, then once again, the people will start an agitation.” Sanvordekar said.
Locals said that police had booked 40 people in an attempt to murder case and despite representations to different authorities, there is no response.
As cases have also been booked against students, many locals are worried about the future of these children.
Sanvordekar said that local MLA Vishwajit Rane has not met the people of Melauli since the government announced to get IIT-Goa at Melauli. “Should the MLA meet the people only during election time?” Sanvordekar said.
The locals said that they will not go to Rane to discuss the issues and rather the MLA should come if he requires us.
In January 2021, Sawant acceded to the demand of the people of Melauli locals to shift the project from their village. “The decision to shift the project was taken keeping in mind people’s sentiments and the request of health minister Vishwajit Rane, who is also the local MLA, and local representatives,” Sawant had said.
The government’s move to cancel the project at Melauli was the culmination of a six-month-long agitation by the residents.
To avoid any controversy ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, the state government is unlikely to take any decision on finalising land for the IIT campus in Goa. The institute is currently functioning from Farmagudi in Ponda taluka.
As cases have also been booked against students, many locals are worried about the future of these children. The government’s move to cancel the project at Melauli was the culmination of a six-month-long agitation by the residents
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