MARGAO: In a bid to safeguard their livelihood and protect the region’s ecological heritage, farmers from Loutolim and Borim conducted an on-site inspection of the proposed area for the new Borim Bridge and approach roads on Sunday, and expressed apprehension that even if the bridge passes over the fields on stilts, it would still adversely affect the khazan lands.
Accompanied by their lawyer, Adv Ronita Bhattacharya, who has filed a petition on their behalf, along with the farmers of Borim, with the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the farmers expressed grave concerns over the potential impact of the project on their precious and vast khazan fields (saline flat lands used for agriculture) and the local fishermen community.
During the inspection, the farmers showed the advocate the khazan fields where the proposed high level Borim Bridge and approach road is proposed to be constructed.
Later on, to demonstrate a potential future, the farmers drew attention to another section of their khazan fields, which, although not part of the proposed alignment for the Borim bridge, was adversely affected during the earlier construction of the missing link road in Loutolim. Even after the completion of the link road, debris from that construction work continues to litter these fields, rendering portions of the khazan lands uncultivable. The farmers expressed grave apprehensions that similar devastation would befall their remaining khazan fields once the new Borim Bridge construction commences.
“She was shown the fields which were filled with debris during the construction of the missing link, which has rendered a portion of the khazan fields uncultivable. Farmers are apprehensive that if the bridge passes over the fields even on stilts, then this would be the fate of the khazan,” said Albert Pinheiro, the Chairman of the Loutolim Tenants Association.
It may be recalled that NGT’s Western Zone Bench had issued notices to the State and Central governments in response to the petition, seeking their responses to the concerns raised by the farmers and fishermen.
The petitioners argue that the River Zuari is a lifeline for the agricultural activities of local farmers and traditional fishermen in the region. Despite the existing two-lane Borim Bridge being recently approved for repairs to extend its lifespan by 20 years, the State government and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are pushing ahead with plans to construct a new high-level bridge, citing the need for better connectivity between Ponda and Margao towns.
The farmers and fishermen fear that the construction of the new bridge will destroy vast stretches of ecologically sensitive lands, including khazan lands, mangroves, and fish breeding water bodies, which are their primary sources of livelihood. They have also questioned the selection of the proposed alignment (Alternative Alignment No 7), alleging that no consideration has been given to the environmental impact while choosing this option, and no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies have been carried out.
The petitioners allege that the proposed new bridge project, with an estimated area exceeding 1,50,000 square metres, requires prior Environmental Clearance (EC) under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006. However, the respondents claim that no EC is required as the project length is less than 100 km, and the additional right-of-way is less than 60 metres.
The NGT has given the petitioners until July to submit evidence to substantiate their claim that the project area exceeds 1,50,000 square metres, necessitating prior EC. The farmers have been opposing this project since last year and had recently approached the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) with their objections filed with the land acquisition officer, and held several meetings with the environment minister.
The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for July 24, 2024, when the NGT will consider the admissibility of the petition based on the evidence provided by the petitioners.