MARGAO
Beleaguered farmers from Loutolim have returned to their khazans to prepare the fields for the upcoming farming season, but not before knocking on the doors of the High Court in opposition to the proposed high-level Borim bridge, which is planned to pass through their fragile khazans.
Around 40 farmers have filed a petition in the High Court against the project, which they claim will destroy the age-old khazans. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, along with seven other respondents, have been named in the case.
The petition, which spans around 1,400 pages, highlights the farmers' concerns about the high-level Borim bridge, which is planned to traverse fertile khazan fields. The petition details how the livelihoods of farmers and the local fishing community will be severely impacted if the project proceeds.
Chairman of the Carbot Cantor Mascasana Khazan Tenants Association, Alberto Pinheiro, said the farmers have turned to the High Court to save their khazans from destruction. “We believe that we have to do our best, and God will do the rest,” he said.
After filing the writ petition, the farmers returned to their khazans to prepare the fields for the upcoming farming season. "Khazans are ecologically fragile fields. They need to be prepared before the monsoons. We cannot work in the fields when they are flooded, so we must prepare them during April and May," Alberto added.
The Loutolim farmers have been engaged in a sustained battle to protect their ancient khazan fields from the proposed high-level Borim bridge. Although the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has proceeded with land acquisition, including thousands of square metres of fertile khazan land, the farmers continue their legal battle and have no intention of halting cultivation on the acquired land.
Previously, the Loutolim farmers had approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT), seeking a directive for the Goa government, the PWD, and the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways to reconsider or redesign the proposed construction of the new Borim Bridge on NH-17B (NH-566). They contended that the current design fails to account for the presence of CRZ areas, forest areas, and environmental preservation, and the potential impacts on these eco-sensitive zones and the people who depend on them.
They had previously prayed that the Union Ministry should not proceed with the project without first obtaining prior environmental clearance under the EIA Notification, 2006.
