MARGAO
The stage is set for the hearing of objections to the land acquisition initiated by the PWD, National Highways for the controversial new Borim bridge.
The Competent Authority for Land Acquisition has set in motion the process of hearing of objections by issuing notices to the Loutolim villagers and farmers who had lodged objections to the land acquisition proceedings, to attend the hearings scheduled on December 12 either in person or duly authorised agent.
The Ministry of Roads Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India has published a Notification in terms of Section 3A of the National Highways Act, 1956, in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II dated 19/10 / 2023 for acquisition of land for construction of high level new Borim Bridge along with approaches across river Zuari along with bypass to Borim Bridge between Km. 4/0 to Km. 12/0 (proposed Bypass Length =5.73 Km) on NH -566 in the State of Goa.
The land acquisition for the new Borim bridge, however, came in for strong objections from the Loutolim villagers and the farmers cultivating the khazan lands as they vehemently objected to the bridge being built through the khazan lands, fearing large scale destruction of lakhs of square metres of cultivated fields.
The land acquisition for the bridge was opposed tooth and nail at the village gram sabha dated October 29 with members demanding the scrapping of the bridge on a host of reasons, including the reason that the alignment (alternative 7) is the most destructive of the alternatives.
The gram sabha had pointed out that the PWD had completely ignored the khazans and CRZ areas that are going to be affected if alternative 7 is pursued for the land acquisition. “The entire area under acquisition in Loutolim village is within CRZ while a large part of the area in Borim village along River Zuari is also within CRZ, but there is no mention of these massive CRZ areas. If this fact was considered, alternative seven would have not been selected,” the resolution had stated.
Saying no consideration was given for the village khazans, the members feared that the entire khazans of Vatlaim and Carbot Cantor and Bebdo will be destroyed.
