Goa CM drops plans to establish new IIT campus in Sel-Melauli

Panaji (Goa) [India], January 15 : After the government failed to convince the protesting locals of Sel-Malauli village in Sattari Taluka of Goa, Chief Minister of Goa Pramod Sawant on Friday announced to drop the plan for the establishment of a new IIT campus in the area and has decided to shift the project out of Sattari.
The Chief Minister took the decision in a meeting held with the sarpanches and Zilla Panchayat members from Sattari Taluka in presence of the State Health Minister and Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane.
Speaking to the media, Sawant said, "The state government has decided to shift the project out of Sattari due to constant opposition from the locals."
"The state government has not yet to decided an alternate place to set up this project," he said adding that "the project was planned from the developmental perspective of Sattari Taluka, but the government failed to convince the locals."
The Sattari Taluka locals especially from Sel-Malauli had opposed the project fearing that it would rob away their precious land resource. Many villagers and policemen were injured when both groups clashed in the forest area near Sel-Malauli village last week.