MONDAY, MAY 06, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: The locals and farmers of Loutolim who have been strenuously objecting to the proposed construction of the new high level Borim bridge received a setback, when their demands for dropping the land acquisition proceedings were not met and instead, they received notices to attend a hearing in connection to the land acquisition process on December 12, 2023. They have been asked to attend the hearing either in person or send their duly noted representative.
While these people had also filed written objections, the hearing is scheduled to take place a day after the PWD is set to meet a delegation of Loutolim farmers and the Nuvem MLA to discuss the alignment for the bridge.
It may be recalled that recently, the MLA and Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira along with the delegation farmers had met senior PWD officials as well the consultant for the bridge, in Panjim where a presentation was made about the various alignments for the bridge.
The farmers who are opposing the alignment selected had been told that at the second meeting, scheduled for December 11, they would be shown an alignment that takes into consideration that the villagers had raised.
However, after the meeting, the tenant’s association had reiterated that they want the land acquisition notification that was issued by the Union Highway Ministry to be withdrawn immediately.
Locals have been concerned about the adverse impact the bridge would have on the fertile fields, given that the present alignment passes through khazan lands and they have been highlighting potential destruction during construction of the bridge and the vital role these fields play in the community.
The villagers highlighted the negligence towards the vast CRZ regions affected by the selected alignment as well as the absence of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the reliance on outdated traffic research about the Margao-Ponda section.
