Borim bridge row: Loutolim villagers reject Minister’s claims, push to nix land acquisition

MARGAO: The villagers of Loutolim have strongly criticised the claims made by Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Subhash Shirodkar regarding the construction of the new Borim bridge and bypass road. Shirodkar had downplayed the concerns raised by Loutolim villagers about land acquisition for the bridge, which would lead to the destruction of two lakh square metres of khazan fields. He urged the villagers not to object to the bridge’s construction, claiming that it would have minimal impact on agricultural fields.

“For the construction of a bridge on stilts and columns, it’s essential to create an approach road to transport construction materials. In the context of the new Borim bridge, the National Highway will require an approach road for this purpose. As the bridge won’t involve land filling, opposing the new bridge is unnecessary,” the Minister had said.

In response, Ramiro Mascarenhas, representing the Loutolim residents who have been protesting against the project, reiterated their demand that the land acquisition notification for the bridge be withdrawn immediately. He expressed concerns about the construction process, stating that building a bridge on stilts and columns would require an approach road for the transportation of construction materials. This would inevitably involve filling of the khazan lands and the destruction of agricultural fields.

Mascarenhas called on the WRD Minister to visit the village with the local MLA and explain to the gram sabha why the people should not object when fertile and ecologically sensitive khazan paddy fields spanning two lakh square metres are being snatched away from them.

The Loutolim gram sabha had previously passed a unanimous resolution to reject the land acquisition for the new Borim Bridge and bypass road, following large-scale protests in the village. The villagers criticised the government for not involving the panchayat or villagers in project discussions and raised concerns about the environmental impact, including CRZ areas, due to the selected alignment recommended by the PWD and accepted by the Union Ministry of Road, Highways, and Transport.