Panaji: Observing that the project cannot be stalled, the Bombay high court on Tuesday appointed senior advocate Subodh Kantak as mediator to facilitate discussions between Bhoma villagers, who have raised concerns over the proposed national highway alignment, and highway authorities.The villagers fear that the project will disrupt village life and threaten temples, ponds and other village resources. The HC said the mediation should work out modalities to balance the villagers’ aspirations with the requirements of a highway project being undertaken in the national interest. The first mediation session is expected to be held on Nov 24.In Aug, advocate general Devidas Pangam had placed before the court a plan showing the proposed expansion of NH-748 through Bhoma village. He contended that the temples of Shree Sateri, Shree Ishwar, Shree Narayan, Shree Mallikarjun, Shree Sati and Shree Hanuman would not be affected by the proposed alignment or the construction method for the elevated corridor.The court was also informed that, to preserve Tolleacho Bund lake and minimise damage to it, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had proposed constructing a bowstring bridge suspended above the lake at Bhoma.The HC had also requested the petitioner’s counsel in Aug to engage with NHAI authorities, the temple committee and a technical expert to understand and examine the proposal put forward by the authority.
