Panaji: Following protest by farmers against the proposed IIT Goa campus at Sanguem taluka, Goa Administration on Tuesday has imposed section 144 of CrPC within 200 metres of the boundary of the proposed facility.
South Goa District Collector Jyoti Kumari has issued orders imposing Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 prohibiting the assembly and gathering of five or more people within a perimeter of 200 meters from the demarcated site of Cotarli village panchayat of Sanguem taluka with the intention to disrupt or delay the process, survey and demarcation of the proposed IIT site.
The farmers in this area on Monday had stalled the process of demarcation of the boundaries for the project claiming that they will not allow their fertile land be acquired for the purpose of setting up IIT campus.
Police had filed cases against a group of farmers for obstructing the government servants from discharging their duties. Following this, the District Collector has issued prohibitory orders restricting the movement around the boundaries of this proposed site.
The District Collector in its order has said “as soon as the Government announced setting up of IIT-Goa at Sanguem, some farmers and villagers of Sanguem locality got together and formed a group and started agitation against the setting up of IIT project at village Cotarli of Sanguem taluka stating that they will be deprived of their agricultural land and the natural flora and fauna of the village will be destroyed.”
The order has mentioned several incidents in the recent past where the protestors has opposed the work on IIT Goa campus.
The Collector has said that the Superintendent of Police (South Goa) has submitted that in spite of suitable briefing to the farmers/ locals by State Minister and local MLA Subhash Phal Dessai and faculty members of IIT project and there will be no any injustice to any farmers or locals while setting up IIT project at the proposed site and all affected farmers will be compensated or settled with the due deliberation.
However, agitating group are inciting provoking the vilagers to oppose the IIT project by uploading unwarranted bites on the social media and orgainsing corner meetings in the locality of Sanguem are and instigating the locals to take law in their hand and to revolt against the government project and also to desist the government authorities in continuing process of seting up IIT at that place.
