MARGAO: The High Court issued notices to PWD and Firgulem– Dongrim bridge contractor after a contempt petition was filed by the farmers of Aquem-Baixo, a press communiqué issued by the farmers informed on Monday.

The farmers, who are interveners in the writ petition filed before the High Court of Bombay at Goa, had in their petition prayed that the court initiate contempt proceedings against the respondents - the executive engineer of PWD division VI and the contractor in accordance with the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

The farmers, who are the petitioners, stated that the respondents failed to remove the debris and material lying there as of 15/04/2010, and as directed to be removed by this Court vide order dated 15/04/2010 passed in writ petition no 297/2010 which reads as: "Any work that may be carried out, shall be entirely at the risk of the respondents. No equities of any nature would be claimed by the respondents or their contractor. Further, the contractors shall ensure that the debris / material is not placed / dumped on the property of any other owners of surrounding plots including the proposed interveners and the petitioners. If there any such debris, the same shall be removed forthwith."

The farmers claimed to be agriculturist belonging to the scheduled caste / scheduled tribes/ OBC in cultivatory possession of their properties consisting of paddy fields and argued that they are dependent on the income received from the properties.

They alleged that the respondents have commenced construction activity in the adjoining property that is the proposed RCC bridge linking Dongorim and Firgulem within the Navelim jurisdiction.

They alleged that because of the construction activity apparently undertaken by respondents, construction material like mud, rubble and stones have been dumped in the paddy fields in a haphazard manner; and that the respondents have dug huge trenches in the property to construct approach road to the proposed bridge.

The farmers have also alleged that the respondents are not only dumping the construction material in their properties but are also taking heavy vehicles like trucks, shovels and excavators through the paddy fields and thus damaging them.