PANJIM: A core committee of the Farmers Association from Loutolim met the PWD Minister and Chief Engineer at Altinho, Panjim, regarding the alignment of the new Borim Bridge, on Monday.
The farmers said that the khazans are eco-sensitive and have been reclaimed from the Zuari river by ancestors over 3000 years ago and the water is not even one metre deep. Recently when farmers took machinery in the field, the machinery got stuck since the water level there is high.
They said just one metre below the surface there is water. This is an eco-sensitive area and our ancestral heritage.
They stated that the PWD is adamant on having the same route for the new Borim Bridge. They have not taken us into confidence. Our core committee had two rounds of meetings with the PWD, but suddenly they came and started doing the demarcation of land.
The soil is soft and hence it is not suitable for putting up the pillars of the bridge. They can avoid the khazans for putting up the pillars and take another route, but there too farmers will be affected.
After listening to the core committee the PWD engineers decided to visit Loutolim on Tuesday. The farmers are hoping that something positive will come out of this inspection so that their fields where paddy has already been planted, are saved.
