Team Herald
MARGAO: The farmers of Loutolim and Borim are now prepared to take their fight to the High Court for protecting their fields as the State and Central government is pushing ahead with the land acquisition process for the Borim bridge by issuing a new notification, on Wednesday.
For the farmers, the publication of the second notification in this month has not come as a big surprise, given that two rounds of their objections to the land acquisition proceedings have already been rejected.
After their first round of written objections, which was 900 pages long, was rejected by the Special Land Acquisition Office (SLAO), they appealed against that order. However, the farmers recently received written intimation that their appeals had been rejected by the Competent Authority as well.
Following this, on October 17, the State government had issued the first set of the final land acquisition notice orders in newspapers in Goa, including an English daily.
Thereafter on Wednesday, the second set of the final land acquisition notice order was issued on October 30, in local newspapers.
Speaking to Herald, the farmers from Loutolim confirmed that the various survey numbers that were not there in the first list, have been added to the second list.
While a small section of around 40 farmers have been left out from the final notification, as their fields are no longer being acquired, after the government had reduced the amount of land to be acquired, the farmers still insist that this does not change how the rest of the farmers will be impacted or that the farmers who are set to lose their land and their livelihood forever.
Furthermore, the farmers believe that if construction work starts in one portion of the land, then the rest of the land also gets damaged due to the unique soft clay nature of the khazan lands.
They also believe that there will still be a lot of traffic passing from both sides, which would add to the pollution and potentially block the natural flow of water through the existing water channels as well.
Speaking about their future plans, in view of the fact that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) did not grant their request for an interim stay on the land acquisition proceedings and adjourned the next hearing to December 2, the farmers have decided not to wait for the NGT order and start their preparatory work for the appeal in the High Court.
They however still hopeful of a favourable verdict from the NGT, given that they have comprehensively presented why the bridge project, as per its present form, allegedly violates environmental and CRZ-related rules
They also believe that the government is deliberately pushing ahead with these notices to avoid legal blocks in the future.
"The farmers whose names have come in the final notification will be meeting our legal advisor and after consulting with them, they will decide their future course of action. If the final acquisition does go ahead, we will still discuss with the authorities on how to save the fields. We do not want any construction in our Khazan fields. Our motto stands till the courts finally pass orders," said Albert Pinheiro, President of the Carbot, Mascasana & Bebdo Tenants Association, Loutolim.
"However, in any circumstances even if the area is reduced and acquisition confirmed some farmers will lose their fields and livelihood forever," Pinheiro added.
Abhijit Prabhudesai, co-convenor, Federation of Rainbow Warriors, who is guiding the farmers of Loutolim and Borim with their legal remedy, was also critical at the speed at which the government was going about with publishing notifications.
"This is a Notice under section 3G of National Highways Act 1956 asking all interested parties to file claims. The government is trying to complete proceedings hastily so it can tell the court that proceedings are already completed and therefore it should not interfere," said Prahbhudesai, while referring to the notification issued on October 30.
"Earlier this month, the Centre issued a final notification under Section 3 (D) of the National Highways Act, for land acquisition. Possession is to be taken under Section 3(E), but no steps are taken as yet for taking possession," he added further.
Incidentally, during the recent demonstrations that have been held across Goa with the demand of the new Regional Plan, the plight of the farmers of Loutolim and the uphill battle they are facing has been brought up with citizens attending these protests vowing to extend their support to the embattled farmers of Loutolim and Borim, the joint petitioners in the NGT case.