PONDA: There was an uproar at the Bhoma-Adkon gram sabha on Sunday, after villagers woke up to the rude shock of a recent gazette notification pertaining to the widening of the existing national highway that passes through the village of Bhoma. The locals said that while the authorities concerned had earlier assured that only four to five houses would be affected by the project, Friday’s gazette notification implied that the future of at least 64 homes and 1,035 square metres of land belonging to three temples in the village would be in jeopardy.
Sanjay Naik, a villager who is spearheading opposition to the government’s NH-widening plan, said the people weren’t taken into confidence before the gazette notification was issued. He, however, said it was unclear whether the NH would be widened or a flyover would be built. “Either way, temples along the route and locals having houses and shops there stand to get affected,” he said.
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Sarpanch Damodar Naik said the villagers had been demanding for an alternative bypass road over the past many months, but their appeals did not seem to have been heeded.
“During a presentation for the panchayat and villagers, PWD officials had assured us that only four to five houses were likely to be acquired, but now the gazette for land acquisition lists the names of several villagers owning property in those areas,” Naik said.
Villagers of the affected areas in Bhoma, Kali Mati and Nagzar have scheduled a ‘mega meeting’ on Monday to decide future course of action.
