MAPUSA
The State government's proposal to allocate 2 lakh square metres of land to a private university has sparked widespread criticism, especially amid growing concerns over the State's limited land resources.
Many fear that the plan to set up a private university is a façade for what could become a large-scale land scam.
Former deputy chief minister and ex-Tivim MLA Dayanand Narvekar has expressed alarm at the massive size of the land being earmarked for the project.
According to Narvekar, no university requires such a vast expanse of land, pointing out that many universities across India function from much smaller premises.
He drew parallels to previous land deals, calling the scale of this proposal unnecessary and suspect.
"The land given to Zuari Agro has turned into one of the biggest scams in Goa. If industries had developed there, Goans would have benefited from jobs. This mistake must not be repeated," Narvekar cautioned.
"In Zuari, the intentions were good. In Tivim, it seems the intention is to grab land. Goa University itself did not come up on such a large plot of land," he added.
Narvekar further highlighted the growing pressure on land in Goa, warning that several recent projects are consuming vast tracts of land, which he finds alarming.
"This is not good for Goa. The public's opposition to this is valid, and no government should allow such land deals," he stated, commending comunidades for traditionally resisting large-scale development that could harm the state’s character.
The project in question, backed by the Goa government, involves the establishment of MIT World Peace University, Pune, on a 2-lakh-square-meter plot of land owned by the Tivim comunidade, located under Survey No. 88/1. The Investment Promotion Board (IPB) has already granted the project in-principle approval.
However, opposition to the project continues to grow, with former Tivim MLA Kiran Kandolkar joining the chorus of critics.
Kandolkar has vowed to fight the proposal "tooth and nail" alongside local villagers, arguing that it is not in the best interest of Goa or its people.
He expressed concerns that the project would turn Cansa, a peaceful village in Tivim, into an "urban jungle."
"None of the people in Cansa want this private university. They want to preserve their village for future generations. We don’t want another Wayanad-like situation in Goa," Kandolkar said, referencing the rapid urbanisation seen in parts of Kerala.
Kandolkar further criticised the infrastructural demands of the university, noting that any large-scale project like this would require at least a 15-meter-wide road.
"How will they build a 15-metre-wide road? Will they destroy roadside chapels and people's homes in the process?" Kandolkar questioned, underscoring the potential impact on local residents and the village's heritage.
The growing opposition signals a contentious debate ahead, with many locals calling for the protection of Goa's limited land resources from large-scale development.
