Farmers stop survey, demarcation of land for new Borim bridge

Panaji: Govt officials working on the survey and land demarcation for the Borim bridge project at Loutolim on Tuesday morning were stopped by a large posse of farmers. The officials, from the public works department (PWD) arrived to survey the khazan lands with substantial police protection, but were impeded by the farmers, who emphasised their stance against the project.
Activist Abhijit Prabhudesai said that the officials failed to provide an official order for the land survey and demarcation they intended to carry out. “We feel that no written directive was issued by any authority, and that the officials were acting on verbal instructions from a senior figure. It is also shocking to see that the police force is being misused,” he said.
He said that the crowd asked the officials the section of the National Highways Act under which they intended to carry out the task, but “they didn’t give a satisfactory reply”.
Prabhudesai pointed out that the khazan fields, which are currently full of standing crops, face potential damage from surveyors walking through them. He further said that the land owners and occupants of khazan lands were not given any prior intimation about the PWD’s demarcation activities.
“You may have the power to carry out the survey, but you ought to give the owners notice,” he added.
TOI has previously reported that farmers and villagers fear that the project will destroy the khazans, fishing activities, and the area’s local economy.
Environment minister Aleixo Sequeira recently stated that the construction of the bridge is inevitable. He promised that the alignment of the bridge would be planned in such a way so as not to disrupt any farming activity, and also to avoid the demolition of any houses.