GIDC CHAIRMAN KAVLEKAR DENIED THAT THEY ARE OUT TO ACQUIRE LAND

PANJIM: The chairman of the Goa Industrial Development Corporation, Mr Chandrakant Kavlekar, on Wednesday, refuted that the GIDC was on land acquisition spree around the state, especially in the Pernem taluka, for setting up various industrial projects including new industrial estates, while the Pilerne Citizen’s Forum alleged that the GIDC was gobbling Goan land with over 50 lakh sq mts of land acquired by it in Pernem taluka alone.

The GIDC chairman said that the corporation has acquired limited land in Tuem village, in Pernem taluka for expansion of the existing industrial estate.

"The allegations about the GIDC having acquired 50 lakh sq mts land in Pernem taluka are totally baseless," he maintained, stating that bloated figures are being thrown around by NGOs, without confirming the facts.

On the other hand, the co-ordinator of the Pilerne Citizens Forum, Mr Paul Fernandes, addressing a press conference said that the Forum has acquired certain documents under the Right to Information Act, which point out that 1.23 lakh sq mts and another 4.14 lakh sq mts of land for the expansion of Tuem industrial estate, 3.54 lakh sq mts of land for setting up industrial estate at Dhargalim and 40.94 lakh sq mts of land for setting up industrial estate at Alorna, have been acquired by the GIDC.

"Furthermore, in Bardez taluka, around 1.74 lakh sq mts of land for expansion of Pilerne industrial estate and 1.33 lakh sq mts of land for expansion of Colvale industrial estate have been acquired by the GIDC," Mr Fernandes revealed, pointing out that 13.81 lakh square meters of land for setting up industrial estate at Meleuli in Satari taluka, 13.49 lakh square meters of land for knowledge Park in Mormugao taluka and 1.43 lakh square meters of land for setting up industrial estate in Canacona are in the possession of the corporation.

Speaking further, Mr Fernandes said that the GIDC, through the Town and Country Planning Department has already moved a proposal to include more industrial areas into the Regional Plan 2021. "Most of the hills in Pernem taluka are in possession of the GIDC," he alleged, observing that majority of the industrial estates around Goa - including the Pilerne industrial estate that has become a marble dump yard - have become defunct, while Mr Kavalekar is trying to set up new ones.

The PCF further observed that since the Task Force set up for the RP 2021 had made it clear that S1 and S2 areas cannot be touched, the private parties including builders and hoteliers have requested the GIDC to acquire lands in these areas, and hand over to them.

"The situation is similar to the allotment of lands to the promoters of the Special Economic Zones," the forum charged, stating that the corporation would hand over these lands for peanuts to the particular lobby.