Daijiworld Media Network- Panaji
Panaji, May 8: In a controversial move, the Goa government has decided to denotify 3.3 lakh square meters of land from the Tillari irrigation project’s command area, a region crucial for agricultural irrigation. This decision was made to facilitate the construction of an integrated resort by Delta Corp Ltd, a casino gaming company, just two months after the state's introduction of the Goa State Amritkal Agriculture Policy, 2025, which aimed at revitalizing the state’s agriculture and ensuring self-sufficiency in farming.
The integrated resort, set to be developed on the now-denotified land, will feature three hotels, a convention centre, a multiplex, retail spaces, a water park, banquet facilities, and a children’s entertainment area. The land in question, located at Dhargalim, is part of the Tillari irrigation project, which serves as a critical water source for agricultural and drinking purposes in Goa.
In a further twist, the government waived the Rs 5.5 crore fee that the Water Resources Department (WRD) had requested, dismissing it as "notional." This move has raised concerns regarding the prioritization of commercial interests over agricultural sustainability.
The land denotification was initiated by the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board (Goa IPB), which had previously cleared the proposal for Delta Corp’s investment. The Tillari irrigation project, which cost Rs 1,465 crore to develop, covers 14,521 hectares in Goa. The project includes both Maharashtra and Goa, with water distributed through two main canals: the Left Bank Main Canal (LBMC) and Right Bank Main Canal (RBMC).
Despite the stated aims of the state's agricultural policy, this decision marks a significant step back in the government's commitment to preserving agricultural land. In 2022, the cabinet had also resolved to allocate land in Pernem for Delta Corp’s investment without consulting the WRD.
In total, Delta Corp paid a substantial sum of Rs 28 crore in conversion fees to facilitate this land change, which allowed the company to bypass the traditional agricultural use of the land and pave the way for its resort project.
The Goa government defended the move, stating that the conversion fees paid by Delta Corp more than compensated for the claimed Rs 5.5 crore in waiver, emphasizing that the project would not result in any financial loss to the government. However, the allocation of irrigation land for a commercial venture has stirred controversy, with critics questioning the state’s agricultural priorities.