SANGUEM, Jan. 24 -- It's a case of so near and yet so far. The farmers of Cotarli have their fields on which they are cultivating, but just get their farm equipment and machinery in. And impediment is actually "manmade". Their traditional access is for an unknownreason is allegedly blocked by the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) located at the entrance of their fields.

Interestingly, this access was always given to them prior to their big battle with the government on the issue of the IIT project coming up on their lands. This face-off with the authorities ended only when the Centre clearly told the State government that this land was not suitable for their IIT project.

This traditional pathway, passed through the government property bear...