Summary:
PANAJI: With activists and others pledging their support to the villagers of Chimbel in their agitation against the setting up of an IT park in the area, locals on Saturday reiterated their opposition to the project at a public meeting.Various speakers criticised the project and said it would affect the village’s agricultural activities, green cover, eco-sensitive areas and lake. IT minister Rohan Khaunte had presented a white paper on the park with details of job opportunities and other features.Activist Arthur D’Souza said that recent cases of fire in green areas and no-development zones showed that the minister’s claim of the IT park having zero carbon footprint was false.If the existing green cover is cut or burned in the name of developmental then how can an IT Park be carbon footprint free, he said.Local Rudolf Fernandes said that the project would only burden the inadequate infrastructure in the area, worsening the water and power supply.A few speakers alleged that the project was being pushed in the larger interest of the 6 lakh sqm land adjacent to the IT park.Local Govind Shirodkar alleged that some resident of Indiranagar were misguided and coaxed into supporting IT park at a recent gram sabha.Sandesh Kunkalker, who had been assaulted recently for his criticism against the project, said that he would continue speaking against till it was scrapped.Others who spoke were Rama Kankonkar, Trajano D’Melo, former MLA Victoria Fernandes, Gakuved federation member Ramkrishna Jalmi and Tara Kerkar..