MARGAO
The Loutolim Carbot, Cantar and MacazanaTenants Association has decided to challenge the land acquisition noticesissued by the Public Works Department (PWD) for the proposed Borim bridgeproject through the khazan fields.
The association has spearheaded a sustainedcampaign against the project for the past three years. With petitions filed byaffected farmers and tenants already pending before the High Court of Bombay atGoa and the National Green Tribunal (NGT), it has now resolved to take legalrecourse against the government's latest move to acquire their land.
Chairman of the association, Alberto Pinheiro,told The Goan that the government's actions contradict its stated commitment toprotecting Goa's khazan lands.
"On one hand, the Chief Minister recentlyannounced plans to revive 18,000 hectares of khazan fields. At the same time,the government is bulldozing its way through the acquisition of Loutolim'sfertile khazan fields for this project," Pinheiro said.
He also recalled that Rajya Sabha MP SadanandShet Tanavade had stated that he was making efforts to secure Centralassistance of Rs 400 crore for the conservation and revival of Goa's khazanlands.
Pinheiro said the association has neveropposed development but has sought a balanced approach. "We are ready tocooperate for development. When the missing link road was constructed, wesacrificed a part of our fields without even claiming compensation. We had alsosuggested shifting the alignment to one corner, but that proposal was notconsidered," he said.
Pointing out that the farmers' petitions arepending before both the High Court and the NGT, Pinheiro said the matters arescheduled to come up for hearing on July 28 before the High Court and on August3 before the NGT.
"When everything was moving peacefullythrough the legal process, the government has now created tension during thesowing season. On one hand, we are praying for good rains, and now we have to prayonce again to save our khazan fields," he said.
Pinheiro said the association's legal team isexamining the acquisition notices served on the farmers before deciding on thenext course of legal action. "The farmers want to preserve their khazanfields for agriculture, and no amount of monetary compensation can replacethem," he asserted.
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Centre puts weight behind Rs 1,900-cr bridge project
MARGAO: The Goa government's determination to moveahead with the construction of the new high-level Borim bridge became evidentduring the recently concluded mid-term council meeting of the Indian RoadsCongress in Goa, where Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that the projectis estimated to cost a staggering Rs 1,900 crore.
The project also received a significant boostfrom the Centre. Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways AjayTamta assured the Goa government of the Centre's full support in expediting theBorim bridge project. He further stated that the project would be included inthe Ministry's annual plan, paving the way for its faster implementation.
