Goa scraps IIT campus plan at Codar after villagers raise concerns

The Goa government has withdrawn its proposal to establish a permanent campus for the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Codar village in South Goa, following sustained opposition from local residents.

Industries Minister Subhash Shirodkar told reporters on Sunday, September 28, that the decision was taken after discussions with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, as per a report by PTI.

“CM Sawant told me that we don’t want to force the project on the people of that village,” he said.

Farmers and other residents of Codar had raised concerns that the project would harm the environment and disrupt their livelihoods. While acknowledging their protests, Shirodkar stressed that the institute could have spurred development in the area. 

“Now, IIT will continue functioning at Farmagudi in Ponda, where it is currently based, though with inconvenience,” he added, noting that the current site offers little room for expansion.

The minister confirmed that the state government will begin scouting for an alternative location for the IIT Goa campus. At the same time, he criticised the resistance, arguing that opposition to such initiatives hampers the state’s growth. 

He also alleged that “vested interests” were encouraging villagers to reject developmental projects, and reiterated his view that the Codar project would not have harmed either farmers’ land or their means of livelihood.