Civic activists revive protest opposing IT-Park at Chimbel

PANJIM: A day after Goa government accorded Integrated Information Technology Township status to the proposed IT Park area in Chimbel, a civic activists group on Saturday revived their protest against the project. The forum ‘Solidarity to Save Chimbel Lake’ held a day-long protest at Azad Maidan to project the setting up of the IT Park in its village alleging the project will destroy rich flora, fauna and the bio-diversity of the lake as well as its surrounding areas. 

“We won’t give up the struggle to save the lake from destruction,” the forum’s convener Ana Gracias said while questioning he motive and failure to book the culprits involved in setting on fire the forested area of the lake. “Despite having registered complaints with the police and the fire brigade, the authorities concerned have failed to nab the culprits,” she alleged. 

Coordinator of Goa Green Brigade Avertino Miranda, supporting the cause, has appealed the government to shelve the project alleging it is environmentally disastrous whereas another protesting member Santan Coreira of Goa Helping Hands questioned the promise made by IT Minister Rohan Khaunte to employ 3,000 Goans in the proposed IT Park at Chimbel when no attempts are made to train locals with IT skills. 

The repeated demand to scrap the project and allegations that the project would destroy the ecology, has often been refuted by the minister assuring that it is located away from the Chimbel lake. Khaunte has also assured jobs to the villagers and other Goan youth besides women and senior citizens, who would also be imparted training by different institutes from across the country.