A delegation of Bhoma residents on Wednesday met PWD Minister Digambar Kamat, urging him to construct a bypass to protect the village from the adverse effects of the proposed highway expansion. Residents warned that the plan could signif icantly alter the village’s demog raphy, disrupt temple rituals and festivals, threaten agriculture and livelihoods, and displace long-es tablished communities. In a memorandum submitted to the Minister, the delegation highlighted that their demand for a bypass has been ongoing for several years, with support from villagers, environmentalists, so cial workers, and community rep resentatives. They expressed dis appointment that their concerns had largely gone unheard. The residents reminded Kamat that during his tenure as Chief Minister, a bypass for Bhoma was included in the Re gional Plan and urged him to revive that plan. They also noted that favorable provisions from the 2009 highway plan were omitted and replaced by the destructive 2018 plan. A 2003 government proposal, based on techni cal considerations, had been shelved despite its potential to prevent the current threat to the village. They stated that Bhoma village has existed for centuries, enriched with biodiversity, temple rituals, agriculture, trib al civilisation, cultural traditions, and the peaceful coexist ence of the Bahujan Samaj. They feared that the highway expansion would destroy temples, lakes, houses, shops, and livelihoods. According to the villagers, the State government pro posed the highway expansion plan and initiated land ac quisition from landlords unfairly, displacing residents whose families have lived in the village for over 300 years. They approached the Bhoma-Adcolna village panchayat, the local MLA, and the Chief Minister several times, but all efforts failed to resolve the issue. Historical records from 1907 in the Archaeology De partment show that the entire land of Bhoma village was recorded as Comunidade land. Before 1881, the village official said. operated under a tribal community system. The village is home to temples of Sateri, Mharu, Sati, Mallikarjun, Ba-ra jan, Pir, and Narayan Dev, which have been worshipped for centuries. Portuguese-era documents dating back 150 years record the pond near Narayan Devala and the Nagzar pond near the Peer dome. The tribals were worshippers of nature-like deities, with ‘Barajan,’ the place of the guardian deity, con sidered of great importance. The memorandum also stated that as many as 27 plac es where tribal village deity rituals such as Ghudi, Vidi, Vida, Choru, and Rot have been performed for thousands of years will be destroyed due to the highway construction. After the meeting, Aami Bhomkar convenor Sanjay Naik said, “We met and submitted a memorandum to PWD Min ister Digambar Kamat, highlighting that a bypass at Bhoma was included in the Regional Plan in 2010 when he was Chief Minister. Kamat gave us a patient hearing and as sured us that he will study the matter in detail and inform us within next eight days.” Naik added, “Aami Bhomkar represents residents of Bhoma village, including farmers, shopkeepers, artists, freedom fighters, and youth. We are demanding a bypass to save the village from being divided by the proposed ex pansion. We are hopeful that the PWD Minister will find a solution. We are united and will fight for justice till our last breath.”
Bhoma Residents Urge PWD Minister Digambar Kamat to Approve Bypass, Oppose Highway Expansion
