FRIDAY, JULY 05, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: Age is no barrier for 94-year-old farmer Domingo Costa, who stood strong alongside fellow villagers of Loutolim, passionately pleading with officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) and other authorities that the proposed new Borim Bridge must not be carved through their agricultural fields, the very source of their livelihoods.
With weathered hands gesturing emphatically, Domingo and his community underscored the deep-rooted connection between their land and their sustenance, urging officials to consider alternative routes that would preserve their way of life.
On Tuesday, a team of officials from the Public Works Department, accompanied by technogram technicians, conducted a thorough inspection of the site.
During the inspection, numerous farmers and villagers who were present earnestly pleaded with the officials to protect their fields from potential destruction. With heartfelt appeals, they emphasized that these fields were not just patches of land but the very source of their livelihoods and sustenance.
At the time of the inspection, officials from the PWD were struck by the sight of farmers actively engaged in farming and fishing activities amidst the lush vegetation of the area.
The officials present at the site reassured the farmers and villagers of Loutolim that their grievances would be diligently conveyed to higher authorities and the government.
Despite his advanced age of 94 years, Domingo Costa, a steadfast farmer from Loutolim, remained present at the site as he had done before.
With unwavering determination, he personally voiced his grievances directly to the Junior Engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD). Leaning on decades of experience cultivating the land, Domingo passionately articulated the concerns shared by his fellow farmers regarding the proposed new Borim Bridge.
"We have been engaged in farming activities for the last several decades, and this is our source of livelihood," Domingo pleaded earnestly.
Nearly 100 farmers and villagers, united in their resolve, objected in one voice to the proposed new Borim Bridge cutting through their fields.
Xavier Fernandes, Former Sarpanch of the Village Panchayat Loutolim, made a fervent appeal to the PWD officials to accurately report the realities witnessed at the site.
Later, speaking to reporters, Fernandes said
"Our impression is that those officials have been convinced by what the farmers and villagers have consistently stated in the past and the objections they have raised," Fernandes stated definitively.
"What has been put forth by the farmers and villagers will be reported. People have expressed concerns that agricultural land will be destroyed, jeopardizing their livelihoods, if the proposed bridge is constructed through the fields," stated the Junior Engineer (JE) solemnly.
But Nuvem MLA Aleixo Sequeira says “the bridge has to come”
Environment Minister and Nuvem MLA Aleixo Sequeira said, “As I have said in the past, I personally believe that the bridge has to come. Which side the bridge has to come is the issue. I wish to clarify that it was said that four lakh square metres will have to be acquired. As per my information, it is 1.2 lakh square metres which are to be acquired, which is 12 hectares and not more than that.”
Just the day before, a core committee representing the farmers association of Loutolim held a crucial meeting with Sequeira and PWD‘s Principal Chief Engineer Uttam Parsekar. During the meeting, the farmers expressed their deep dissatisfaction with the government's proposed alignment plan. They articulated concerns about the potential adverse impact on their agricultural lands and livelihoods.
However the Minister said these words "Once the government has acquired the land it will be government property. People are being misinformed by vested interests.ultimately it is a technical decision which has to be taken by the NGT. The government proposes to acquire sufficient land to ensure that the road to construct that bridge is within the acquired land.
On the loss of Khazan lands, the MInister stated "Whichever side you take, the bridge is going through a khazan land. I have asked the engineers to visit the site and they will conduct their study and get back.”
Xavier Fernandes, Former Sarpanch of the Village Panchayat Loutolim, requested the Environment Minister Aleixo Sequiera to take proactive steps towards protecting the environment and agricultural fields rather than approving actions that would lead to their destruction.
