Of late in the Assembly and otherwise, we've seen a lot of heat and dust being raised over the issue of the construction of the new Borim bridge, which the people of Loutolim have been consistently saying that acquisition of over 1.6 lakh sqmt of ecologically sensitive khazan lands lying within the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ), which sustains hundreds of indigenous families, who traditionally cultivate paddy and of course fish in the Khazan. The fact is that it’s prime agricultural land which is being sacrificed because of the new Borim bridge. This is broadly what the issue is.
On the other hand, there is very little or absolutely no disagreement about the need for a new bridge. Even the people of Loutolim are not denying that. They're not saying that they are opposed to the bridge per se, but the issue here is now to look at a balance and evaluate the correct facts, which govern this entire sentiment.
The point here is that, there has to be a way to have this kind of a new bridge which connects areas from the airport down to the South, without affecting traditional livelihoods and the loss of lands and economic activities, which are vital for the people of this region.
The government of course has been having a lot of conversations with the people of Loutolim. The Loutolim Tenants Association members met the Environment Minister and the Chief Minister as well, along with Union Minister for Highways, Nitin Gadkari.
A lot of discussions have happened, but the situation remains the same. Now the government is going ahead with the bridge, but the people are saying that until and unless they are satisfied and all the plans are disclosed to them, they are unwilling to give up their lands.
We all know the general nature of the opposition to the bridge. Now the question is whether the bridge is necessary and if yes, then what is the way out of this imbroglio because all seven alignments are touching the khazan.
Albert Pinheiro, President, Loutolim Tenants Association said, “Now this particular point should have come up in the beginning, much before these alignments could go through and they could settle down on alignment number seven.”
“This alignment number seven has been shown, stating that no houses would get destroyed and it is the shortest distance. But the type of land that is going through and the damage that it could cause is unimaginable. We the villagers cannot even think of living without our khazan fields,” Pinheiro said.
When asked to elaborate on the point that people feel can’t imagine living without the khazan, Pinheiro said, “What happens is that, if you see the topography of Loutolim village, it has hills on one side then there's a plateau and then you come down below, there are water bodies and springs. After irrigating the fields, the water from the springs finally makes its way to the Zuari river.”
“Now if there's any change done over there, chances of flooding are very high. Arrangements have been made to ensure that the water flow is not obstructed. Even when there is some cleaning done near the church, the aim finally is to ensure that the water drains into the Zuari river,” he said.
“People have come to the Zuari river, it has not gone to people for sustaining the people who are living there. They basically are the ones who are in pisciculture. The survival of the fisher folk, most of whom are also farmers, is dependent on it. If you ask me what will happen to the khazan lands, we have seen it ourselves. We can’t even make one single change in that khazan,” he said.
“If we even take one machinery over there to desilt our fields, it causes a lot of problems. Last year a JCB earthmover got stuck. A second JCB was brought to pull out the first one, but that also got stuck. Then the ancient method of putting dry coconuts and wood and all that was done to retrieve them,” the President of the Loutolim Tenants Association said.
“Every time our Agriculture department gives us tractors to plough the fields. But if there is a slight rain somewhere, these tractors get stuck. People have to get ropes and remove them from the fields. So, these khazan fields are not any other typical land. If you throw a stone in it, after a few days, you won't find it,” he said.
Whatever is the seventh alignment, once it takes place and the bridge is built on the stilts, would the people be able to cultivate below as it's done in many places?
“The land that was to be taken for bridge construction, was supposed to be on the edge of the khazan. So we supported development and said let some parts of the khazan go. We’ll get the rest of the part for doing agriculture. I gave them a couple of letters when the officials came to me. I gave my nod since it was for the sake of development to go ahead. But after completion of the project, I want the fields to be restored for farming,” he said.
“I gave them two letters. Last time I submitted a letter to the Principal Chief Engineer, PWD, Uttam Parsekar during a meeting in Altinho. He was kind enough to accept them. Few days before, our chief minister made a statement that government would compensate the farmers first and then see whether the land could be retrieved and agriculture could be done on it,” Pinheiro said.
When asked about his views whether the bridge construction will lead to an absolute destruction of the khazan fields and if yes, then what is the way forward, Antonio Mascarenhas, former scientist at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), said, “Khazan is not a scientific term. But it is well known that these lands have been reclaimed. This is a tidal area. Because there are creeks, backwater is an intricate system of the drainage system.”
“Basically being a tidal area, khazans come under the CRZ. That is a national law. Now, these are governed by the daily tides. Now if you see the CZMP, which is linked to CRZ 2011, these are all marked as Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs), in the CZMP. Khazans are basically low wetlands. Some are below the sea and river level, some may be above,” he said.
“So in any case, the tide comes in and goes out. So they are CRZ-bound. Now under the CRZ 2011, we also have the No Development Zone (NDZ) with respect to the high tide of the river. It can be a maximum of 100 m, depending on the width of the river or the creek,” he said.
“Now, in addition to the CRZ, we also have a what do you call the Hazard line. Nobody has discussed this. This is a scientific issue. Bridge or no bridge is another matter. What is a hazard line? It is a line up to which the saline water can go during an extreme event. There can be a tsunami or there can be winds where the net rise of the tide is much more than a normal tide. So water just gushes in and causes inundation. It’s a vulnerable area,” the former NIO scientist said.
“Under the CRZ 2011 and the corresponding CZMP, activities like agriculture, fishing, pisciculture and paddy plantation are allowed. All these are permitted under the NDZ. Then you have the prohibited activities. You cannot build a house or put up a hotel in a field or a wetland,” he said.
“But CRZ also has got another provision, known as regulated activity. Now a road or a bridge comes under the regulated activity. But just because it is regulated, doesn't mean that you can put a bridge. It doesn't mean that you can build a road. For that, you need what is known as a comprehensive scientific Environment Impact Assessment (EIA). Now unless the EIA is done, you will not know you can have 10 alignments. But you need that EIA has to be done in my opinion,” Mascarenhas said.
“Now in the case of Zuari river, EIA was never done. In the case of Mandovi it was done, but it was a small report. Now what lies under the level of the water nobody knows. Only a proper EIA can tell you all that. Under regulated activity, you can have a bridge, provided a comprehensive EIA is done. It is not just a report. It involves Flora, fauna, and people. It's a very big and comprehensive study,” he said.
“Based on that, you decide whether this is feasible or not. Now from a scientific perspective, that's what I can tell you. I don’t know whether any EIA has been done regarding the bridge,” the veteran marine ocean scientist said.
There are a few key aspects that need government clarification. Firstly, whether any EIA has been done, secondly whether the people were taken into confidence before doing the alignments and thirdly, have all precautions been taken regarding environmental mitigations.
Responding to these questions, Giriraj Pai Vernekar, Spokesperson, BJP said, “As far as consultation is concerned, I think when the discussions started, then itself we had spoken about how the government has been approachable - whether it is the CM or the Principal Chief Engineer. So I will not agree with the argument that the government has not been accessible or not available for answering the questions.”
“Now there are two factors which we have to take into consideration. If you start localising every issue, then who looks at the State’s interest? So regarding the alternate Borim bridge, first you have to understand it’s a lifeline that connects Ponda to Salcete, or even to Mormugao and of course it’s a no-brainer that we talk about rail connectivity through Margao or Vasco we talk about port connectivity through Mormugao, we talk about air connectivity, we talk about connect connectivity of Ponda with Verna Industrial Estate,” Vernekar said.
“Now that road has come, I agree that even when the missing link was there, people were murmuring. But today how easy it has become for somebody from Loutolim to go to work,” he said.
“There were seven alignments. But I think, the view should always be to minimise demolition of houses, to have the shortest route possible. Now as far as EIA is concerned, I will get back to you whether it's been done or not. But if it's not been done, then both supporters and Opposition are speaking in the air,” he said.
“Now the first alternate was coming to about 6.38 km, second was 8.35 km, third was 6.23 km, fourth was 8.23 km, fifth was 8.23 km, the alternate sixth was 7.43 km and the last one, which is the current one which government wants to go ahead with, is 5.73 km,” the BJP spokesperson said.
“Now coming to the length of the bridge again, the other aspect which I think gets always missed is, for example, whether the local people believe that the bridge is needed, we tend to oppose everything. For example, there was a tree being cut because it was hazardous there was so much of hue and cry, but when the tree falls and somebody loses life, again it's the government which gets blamed. So, you do, you are doomed, you don’t you are damned. That seems to be the philosophy.” Vernekar said.
“Now let us put in perspective the land which is getting lost. The total land acquisition will be approximately 3,931 hectares, out of which on the Loutolim side is I think about 12.24 hectares. So, approximately out of the 40 hectares, we are talking about 12 hectares, which is on the side,” he said.
“Now my question is, what about the remaining 28? You don’t hear murmurs. There is no scope for road widening. I mean, imagine the number of businesses and the houses that will be lost in the process so again what I'm trying to put in perspective is the opposition is coming from 12 hectares whereas for the remaining 28 hectares, there has not been much opposition,” he said.
“Secondly, it’s going to be a cable stilt bridge. Now what the CM has promised in the Assembly is something unprecedented. Actually, once the land acquisition happens, it's the government property, but the CM has still said that he’s ready to work with the Centre and see to it that the farmers are compensated for the loss of business, which is going to go from the farming income. They will even try and see if something else can be done,” he said.
“As far as the compensation is concerned, it will be paid in full but this is a project which is of importance for the State,” he said.
Now there are things to consider. The industry and the pharma companies and others are essentially saying that the missing link is just one part of it. You need the other missing link to join it and that becomes a complete link.
Now the point here is this bridge going to be used primarily for link from the airport to the other towns like Margao, Ponda and others or there is another kind of allegation being levelled by activists and others essentially stating that this will ultimately be used for the transportation of coal from Mormugao and others.
Lino Fernandes, Member, Loutolim Tenants Association said, “It will be used mainly for coal transportation and not for anything else. If you see about 5-10 years back how the road conditions were in Goa, you know when you were to go from Margao to Panjim, you had to go via Agassaim. We went through that process for two-and-a-half years when the construction of the Zuari bridge was going on. Now within 20 minutes, you can reach from Verna to Panjim.”
“When you come from Belagavi to Margao, right you get stuck up near the Sai Baba temple for one-and-a-half hours in the evening. Now, somewhere we have to find a solution. I don’t know. I am not touching the issue about how many people are affected, but the fact remains that we need that connection of the missing link,” he said.
“Now land was given by the Verna Industrial Estate for the road that went through it. Whatever land was acquired for industrial purposes, that had to be given to the PWD for constructing the road,” Fernandes said.
“What Giriraj is saying is that, the seventh alternative is the shortest route and it is straight aligned. It means from the bridge you have already crossed the Verna-Loutolim road. The bridge also is complete. Only question is about crossing the river,” he said.
“I agree that the service road will be required to construct the bridge. Now one thing that has to be assured is retrieval of the land. It’s not impossible to do that. So when you do the service road and the foundation, take the necessary mitigation measures,” he said.
“In Cortalim also we have seen. It’s on the single column and the six-lane road is going. After that, if proper precaution is taken and when you tender it out also, the condition has to be put that when the contractor finishes the work, he has to remove everything and put the things in order because I feel that other than this, you won't have any issue,” he said.
“But there should be penal provisions for not adhering to it because people are sceptical primarily because they’ve had a very bad experience in the past and it is true that it is our livelihood,” he said.
Now, if a proper discussion takes place, a proper EIA happens in a genuine way, taking everything into aspect and if there’s an absolute guarantee with penalties will be imposed if the debris is not removed and traditional activities are saved, will the people of Loutolim be agreeable to that solution?
Former past president of Goa State Industries Association (GSIA), Damodar Kochkar said, “See, what happens now once you do the service road, it is not possible to take the service road. Now at present if we go in the field, we are going about 50 cm deep. One person cannot go in the field. You have to take two persons to hold each other and come out see same way. It is a soft land and you have to put at least three layers of rubble to make the service road and on the top, you have to put more on it.”
“Once you put that, even the chief minister has said in the Assembly that it cannot be removed and the engineer also said that it won’t be possible to remove it,” he said.
As we move forward, economically, ecologically, scientifically, humanly and I think if all these four ways meet, I think the bridge will be built and hearts will also be built at the same time.