Highway expansion a ploy to grab land: Chimbel Samiti

Highway expansion a ploy to grab land: Chimbel Samiti
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
MERCES, NOV 21
Stating that the highway expansion project is only a ploy to grab land from Goans, John Lobo of Ribandar Chimbel Rakhonn Samiti stated that the government is out to sell Goa to the highest bidder in the name of development.
Citing an example, Lobo said that in Corlim when the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had requested for 10,000 sq mtrs of land, the government is acquiring 20,000 sq mtrs of land.
“This shows that the government, under the garb of highway expansion, is planning to grab prime Goan land, which will be then sold to the highest bidder,” he added.
Lobo was speaking at a meeting called by the Chimbel locals at Immaculate Conception Chapel to oppose the government plans to go ahead with the highway expansion project, which will displace thousands of people and also lead to demolition of several religious places.
“The 400-year-old Immaculate Conception Chapel will be affected due to the expansion, and the insensitivity of the Congress government only goes to show that they care a damn about the religious sentiments of the people,” Lobo said and added that the Chimbel locals will not rest till the issue is resolved in their favour.
Another Chimbel villager Paul Fernandes, who incidentally will be the worst affected, alleged that the government, particularly the PWD Minister, is not listening to the people’s demand to divert the highway because the alternate route will cut the cost to half, which will ultimately lower the commission the ministers would otherwise earn.
Criticising Chief Minister Digambar Kamat’s announcement that the government will pay market value to those affected, Paul posed a question: “Will the market value compensate for the mental trauma suffered by the people who will be displaced from their houses they have been residing for centuries?”
Paul further said that a State government is supposed to take care of its people and not bow down to the Centre. “However, in Goa, the government has become a puppet of the Centre and is least bothered about the welfare of Goans,” he stated.
A local, Eliteiro Fernandes, said the NH4A bypass road should remain as a Major District Road (MDR) and should not be converted into a 4-lane highway as currently there is smooth flow of traffic and there is no need of further expansion.
“If at all, the government wants to increase the width of the road, it can do so by acquiring 3-5 mtrs of land on either side,” he suggested and added that in this way, everybody will be spared. Giving another suggestion to save houses and the chapel in Chimbel, Eliteiro said that a flyover can be built.
Another local, Peter Fernandes, said if the government goes ahead with the project, the Chimbel village will be divided into two and the villagers will face a tough task of travelling from one place to the other.
When questioned, what the locals will do if the government does not bow down to the wishes of the people, Peter said that it will prove to be a death knell for democracy in Goa and the beginning of dictatorship. “However, we will not go down without a fight,” Peter warned.