In yet another attempt to douse opposition to the new Borim bridge plan, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured the Legislative Assembly that the new bridge is an industrial corridor and not solely for coal transportation. The statement itself rang a bell in minds that the primary purpose of the proposed bridge is to transport coal, a fear expressed by members of the Opposition.
Locals at the Borim bridge have been waging a war against the proposal with people repeatedly coming on the roads and appealing to the government, local MLA and even Union Minister for Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari, appealing to save their Khazan land.
On Tuesday, Sawant informed the House that the 7th alignment for the bridge had been selected and approved by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRT) and that no houses would be demolished in the proposal. He also acknowledged that out of the 39.31 hectares of land to be acquired for the new bridge, 11.01 hectares comprise Khazan lands.
More importantly, the CM informed that farmers who stand to lose their land will be provided 100 per cent compensation, while also getting compensation for three years for loss of farming income due to project work. Furthermore, the CM also assured that the government would desilt the Khazan land after the bridge construction so that farming could resume in the area.
The assurances sound positive but do not entirely address the issues of affected people. The government assures farmers of compensation for the loss of farm revenue for three years, but there is no word on plans thereon. At a time when Sawant states that his government is finalising a comprehensive khazan plan and bringing a contractural farming bill to boost agriculture in the State, the government is making it all the more difficult for Borim farmers who are facing an uncertain future.
Secondly, compensation, on paper sounds like a very fulfilling idea, but on the ground, it cuts out a sorry picture, especially when it comes to doling out relief to those losing land and fields. History paints a grim picture of compensation. Many farmers who have allowed their land to be acquired for projects have not received their compensation for years, with papers stuck in systemic complications for years. Mopa airport land is a classic case.
Thirdly, desilting the Borim Bridge farmland appears a half-hearted promise, because the CM himself has mentioned that the job is challenging. What is also not addressed is the impact of desilting on khazan land and whether it would affect the fertility of crops in the larger area.
Compensating affected farmers for a 3-year term is a good short-term gesture, but against the backdrop of "Swayampurna Goem", Sawant must send out a strong message that his government stands with the farming community which is the torch bearer of that mission, and work out a rehabilitation plan for them so that their livelihoods are protected. Such displacement of farmers could deal a telling blow to plans of self-sufficiency.
The reasons behind going ahead with the Borim bridge may be varied, but development cannot come at the price of displacing the common man. The government's engagement of the people is a welcome gesture, but somewhere down the line ideas should run in sync with the hard ground realities. The establishment must refrain from running roughshod, but rather try to build bridges of trust which have collapsed in the maddening race of development.
