Panaji, Aug 6 (IANS): To construct a permanent campus for the Indian Institute of Technology-Goa, the site selection committee under the Union Ministry of Education has inspected a site measuring 10 lakh sq mt in South Goa.

The land has been identified under four survey numbers measuring 10,49,118 sq m at Malewada-Rivona in Sanguem taluka of South district.

According to sources, Goa's Revenue Department is ascertaining and verifying the title documents of the identified land.

“After that, upon initiation and completion of the land acquisition process, and handing over of the land to IIT-Goa, the construction thereupon would be commenced by the Government of India. IIT-Goa would finalise this only after the land is handed over,” sources said.

“Goa government will ensure that sufficient safeguards are adopted to minimize any adverse impact on the environment and existing green cover at the time of granting required project approval by the various statutory authorities, who would be approving the project in accordance with rules, regulations, norms and standards, as applicable.”

After facing opposition at three places, the Goa government identified the place in Rivona in Sanguem constituency which got the green signal from the local panchayat.

Set up in July 2016, the IIT Goa campus is temporarily housed in Goa Engineering College in Ponda, South Goa.

Initially, land was identified at Canacona in South Goa, which was cancelled after protests by the locals.

Later, land was identified at Shel-Melauli in Sattari taluka of North Goa. In this case, the affected people launched an agitation saying it would destroy the environment. Bowing to the people’s pressure, this too was cancelled. Another piece of land for the project was identified at Cotarli in Sanguem but even there the project faced opposition. Now the site has been finalised at Rivona in Sanguem taluka.