BHOMA: Tension prevailed at Bhoma on Wednesday as the officials from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) began work on the valuation and demarcation of trees for NH widening, under heavy police protection, even as the locals continued to strongly object to the project.
There were verbal clashes with police for almost one hour. Over 100 agitating Bhoma locals, including Sarpanch Damodar Naik and spearhead of the agitation, Sanjay Naik were detained.
The protesters were shifted to far away Collem police station in three buses and released late evening.
Earlier in the day, suspecting strong resistance by villagers, the NHAI authorities sought for police protection. As villagers learnt about survey work, they too gathered at the site.
As the work on tree valuation began, the locals led by their leader Sanjay Naik held discussions with police and NHAI officials, asking them to show them the plan. The locals also objected to the work stating the highway expansion issue is sub judice as the matter is in the High Court.
They shouted slogans “Amka Zay Bypass”. The women said they “will lay down lives if needed, to save the village from destruction”.
However Executive Magistrate, Ruchika Birje, who is also Joint Mamlatdar at Ponda said there is a directive from higher authorities to conduct a survey. DySP Ashish Shirodkar also tried to convince the villagers but in vain. With the situation heating up, the police finally detained over 100 Bhoma locals.
They were taken away in three police vans. DySP Ashish Shirodkar said the NHAI officials had arrived for demarcation at Bhoma at the land acquisition site to conduct a valuation of trees to provide compensation to owners of the trees that would get felled in the road widening process.
“We told villagers to address their issues through court or bring a stay order. But despite discussing for half-an-hour, the villagers were not ready to listen and as PWD officials started survey work, villagers stopped them. They were finally detained for obstructing government officials on duty. They were later released.
Sanjay Naik said it’s now three months since the Bhoma locals filed a petition in Court, however, the PWD is just asking for dates.
“No plan has been shown to us. The government is suppressing the voice of democracy. It boasts of protecting temples, but here at Bhoma they are going to destroy the beauty of our village and its temples,” Naik said.
He said villagers will continue their agitation. He warned that Bhoma villagers will campaign against the candidates who will come to seek their votes during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections due next year.