Authorities to factor in pisciculture revenue loss, construction disruption for 2-3 years
Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira and senior PWD officials discuss the compensation package for the Loutolim farmers, who will be affected by the land acquisition for the new Borim bridge. Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Even as Loutolim farmers keep their fingers crossed over the acquisition of their fields for the construction of the new high-level Borim bridge, the government has set in motion the process to work out a special compensation package for the land losers in lieu of the acquisition of their khazan fields for the bridge project.
The farmers seem to have pinned their hopes on the National Green Tribunal to bring good news in the New Year, as the tribunal is scheduled to hear their petition with a prayer for a stay on the bridge construction. The government, on the other hand, is working on a broad plan to compensate the farmers for the loss arising from the land acquisition. In an apparent bid to create a feel-good factor among the farmers protesting over the acquisition of their khazan fields, the government is working on a package that would not only compensate the farmers for the loss of khazan fields, but also take care of the loss of revenue from pisciculture, the activity practised by the farmers in the khazan fields since time immemorial.
That’s not all. Since the work on the construction of the bridge is expected to hamper the water movement underneath the bridge under construction, the government is toying with the idea of compensating the farmers for the loss of crop production arising from these factors during the construction of the bridge, perhaps for 2-3 years.
Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira, who had a meeting with senior PWD officials to discuss the new high-level Borim bridge at the District Collectorate, later told 'The Goan' that farmers, whose fields are acquired for the construction of the bridge, will be compensated for the fields acquired for the project, besides the loss of revenue from pisciculture and any disruption of farming activity in the fields during the bridge construction.
“We should not lose sight of the fact that the khazan fields cultivated by the farmers are also used for pisciculture after the harvest. The government has taken cognisance of this factor. Hence, while computing the compensation, the farmers will receive compensation for the loss of land as well as for the loss of income from pisciculture,” Sequeira said.
He added: “Since it will take around 2-3 years for the PWD to construct the bridge, the government has also factored in the disruption of farming activity during the period. The movement of water along the alignment may be affected because of the construction work. The affected farmers will be compensated on this count too.”
When 'The Goan' drew the attention of the Environment Minister to the concerns raised by farmers that the construction debris dumped along the alignment will devastate the khazan fields and spell doom for the age-old system of cultivation, Sequeira said the PWD officials are on the job to work out a mechanism to prevent the debris from scattering in the fields, adding that the PWD will try and clear the debris from the fields after the construction.
Loutolim farmers, however, have repeatedly warned the government that it would be nigh impossible to remove the construction debris from the khazan fields given the unique nature of the farmland.
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Farmers rebuff govt offer, vow to fight for their khazan fields
Waging a sustained battle to protect their khazan fields from destruction, Loutolim farmers have questioned whether any compensation can replace their age-old khazan fields, saying the farmers are not interested in talking about the compensation payable by the government.
The Loutolim khazan fields. (The Goan/File photo)
They have reiterated that no amount of compensation can replace their agricultural lands, insisting their connection with these lands is like the umbilical cord of an unborn child with her mother.
Chairman of the Loutolim Tenants Association, Alberto Pinheiro, told 'The Goan' that the farmers do not want to talk about the compensation. “No doubt, in our objections filed before the competent authority to the notice issued under Section 3G of the National Highways Act on the compensation payable to the land losers, the farmers have reserved their right to claim compensation under protest at a later date. But we do not want to talk about the compensation now when we are vehemently opposed to the alignment of the new Borim bridge through the khazan fields,” Pinheiro asserted.
He questioned: “Where is the question of talking about compensation when the farmers have approached the National Green Tribunal against the Borim bridge on a host of grounds? We are opposed to the bridge being constructed through the khazans. The farmers will soon file a petition in the High Court seeking justice.”
In separate objections filed before the competent authority, the farmers have termed the proceedings as blatantly illegal. They pointed out that some of the farmers have already approached the National Green Tribunal challenging the environmental violations by the subject proceedings.
The farmers have further requested the competent authority to withdraw the notice under Sections 3G(3) and 3G(4) of the National Highways Act, 1956, and not to proceed any further with the subject land acquisition until the matter is decided by the National Green Tribunal.
