MARGAO
Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira on Friday said that an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study will be carried out on the impact of the new High Level Borim Bridge proposed across river Zuari on the environment.
He also said that a final report is being prepared by the PWD on the bridge post-visit by Union Minister for Road Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari, adding the farmers will have to wait for a few more days to get the ultimate report.
Fielding a volley of questions from the media on the controversial new Borim bridge and the recent order passed by the National Green Tribunal, Sequeira said the NGT has only admitted the application filed by the farmers and has issued notices to the agencies.
Asked to outline his stand on the new Borim bridge, he shot back saying “my wish is to ensure that no house goes for demolition. Next issue is whichever alignment is chosen by the authorities, khazan land is going whether it’s yours or mine.”
He, however, has expressed his happiness that everyone in one voice has insisted for a new bridge over the river Zuari bridge at Borim. “This unanimous view is some extension a satisfaction since we need a new bridge,” he said.
Explaining the initiative he has taken to resolve the grievances of the beleaguered farmers of Loutolim farmers, Sequeira pointed out that he had taken the farmers to Panaji for a host of meetings with the Principal Chief Engineer, PWD. “I had also arranged a meeting of the farmers with the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who had lent his ear to the grievances of the farmers and has promised to do what can be done,” he said.
He added: “After I arranged a meeting of farmers with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the Minister was kind enough to depute his officials to do a study and ensure that only minimum land required is taken for the project. The farmers will have to wait for a few more days to get the ultimate report.”
Saying there’s confusion in the air over the amount of land required for the bridge, the Minister said, “the farmers have claimed that the PWD is set to acquire land admeasuring around four lakh square metres. The PWD, on the other hand, has said it may require maximum around 90,000 square metres for the bridge.”
When asked how he would go about convincing the farmers being the MLA representing the village, Sequeira said, “there is no dispute over the requirement of a new bridge, but the issue is of alignment, whose property will go for the bridge. I also believe there is fear that pissiculture will be affected by the bridge. I am not a technical person, but I believe there will be free flow of water underneath if the bridge is built on stilts.”
New bridge is the need of hour
Saying that the existing Borim bridge is literally shaking, Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira has said that the new bridge needs to be built before the existing bridge is declared unsafe for use.
Citing the instance of the collapse of an old bridge at Karwar, Sequeira said it is indeed frightening if one stands on the Borim bridge. “A new bridge needs to be built across Zuari at Borim before the existing one comes down,” he said, while expressing his happiness that the government has taken a proactive stand to build a new bridge before the existing one falls down.
