Goa government drops plan for IIT campus at Codar village amid opposition from locals

PANAJI : The Goa government on Sunday announced that it has scrapped plans to set up an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campus at Codar village, following opposition from residents. Speaking at a press conference here, Industries Minister Subhash Shirodkar said the plan to construct the IIT Goa campus at Codar village in South Goa has been cancelled.

The minister said that he had discussed the issue with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday. "CM Sawant told me that we don't want to force the project on the people of that village," he said. Residents of Codar, mostly farmers, had opposed the project, claiming it would destroy the natural habitat and adversely impact their livelihood. Shirodkar, however, said the IIT campus at Codar, which falls in his assembly constituency, would have brought development to the area.

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"Now, IIT will continue functioning at Farmagudi in Ponda, where it is currently based, though with inconvenience," he said, citing that there was no scope for expansion at the current location. The state government will now have to look for a new site, he added. He pointed out that such opposition to projects is detrimental to the state's development. The minister further alleged that some "vested interests" were instigating people to oppose developmental initiatives, and asserted that the IIT campus at Codar would not have affected the livelihood or land of farmers.