MARGAO
Loutolim villagers and the government seemed heading on a collision course over the proposed new Borim bridge and the approach roads for the bridge as the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have issued a notification on Tuesday for land acquisition for the project.
The land acquisition notification comes days after the Loutolim gram sabha had resolved to hold a an extra ordinary gram sabha on October 29 to discuss the Borim bridge issue and the approach roads fearing that the approach roads for the bridge pass through khazans, paddy fields etc.
In fact, a letter dashed off to the PWD, National Highways by the Loutolim village panchayat had requested the PWD, NH to keep the land acquisition process in abeyance till further decision and to depute a technical person at the special gram sabha on October 29 morning to provide information regarding the proposed New Borim bridge on NH-17b (NH- 566) along with proposed/approved plans and necessary correspondence.
In the letter, the Panchayat had pointed out that it was informed that proposed New Borim bridge on NH-17b (NH-566), which includes large portions through the Loutulim Panchayat area, will affect the khazans, paddy fields, fisheries, roads and traffic of the Village, while requesting the PWD Executive Engineer not to proceed with the land acquisition process until the Panchayat and residents of Loutolim are consulted.
A glance at the land acquisition notification shows that the Centre plans to acquire land in the villages of Loutolim, Borim, Bandora and Quella. The plots of land which the PWD has zeroed in for acquisition in Loutolim village are predominantly private paddy fields, besides paddy fields coming under the Irrigation command area.
Activist and former Loutolim Sarpanch Xavier Fernandes lamented that the government has issued the notification for land acquisition when the villagers had called for an extraordinary gram sabha and had requested the PWD to send officials to explain the villagers on the proposed bridge and the approach roads. He pointed out that the PWD, NH had prepared as many as seven plans for the construction of the new Borim bridge. We have information that the government had given the nod for the Plan VII which entails joining the bridge to the Missing Link at Angdi-Loutolim”, he said. He added: “The alignment finalized by the Centre is a clear indication that the bridge is meant for the Mormugao Port Trust and not for the local populace. If the bridge is meant for the locals, then the government should go for the alignment which will not cause destruction of paddy fields and khazans”.
Xavier clarified that the villagers are not opposed to the proposed Borim bridge, but asserted that it should not come by destroying the paddy fields and fields in the Irrigation command area.
Since the last gram sabha that was held on October 15 wherein it was decided to hold an extraordinary gram sabha meeting to discuss the bridge issue, the villagers had launched an awareness campaign how the approach roads to the bridge will cause destruction to the paddy fields and khazan lands of the village.
Xavier disclosed plans to intensify the ongoing awareness campaign so that people from Loutolim attend the extraordinary gram sabha on October 29 in large numbers and convey their stand on the project.
The notification has also given 21 days time for the people to lodge their objection to the project.
