Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA: A Team of Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) descended in Canacona to inspect Construction work including the filling of Khazan land and cutting of Mangroves at Magdal-Galgibaga in Poinguinim village on Monday.
Incidentally, the same work was previously stopped by Canacona Mamlatdar Jeetendra Bugde after inspecting the site personally in the second week of April month, after the contractor failed to respond to Talathi’s stop-work order and the works of mangroves cutting and land-filling continued.
Interestingly, according to sources, even then, the works were continued and on the day GCZMA directed for inspection a 20-25 members worker party was already working in the land-filling activities.
GCZMA Engineer Tejas Naik, and GCZMA Field Surveyor Sidhi Morajkar in the presence of a team of complainant Rainbow Warriors visited the site and conducted the inspection, noted down the destructions of mangroves and filling of critical points of the Khazan land caused by the contractor and also collected the pictures of the sites. Though GCZMA appointed Expert Member Ms Radha Rao as part of the inspection team was conspicuous by her absence, the inspecting team, however, informed that the necessary inspection report will be submitted to the GCZMA.
Besides, observing the systematic killing of Mangroves right from the edge of the Galgibaga river bank, the team also observed how river water is stopped from entering the Khazan land, by carrying out land-filling partly.
Interestingly, around 25 workmen were already working to fill up the low-lying land in the property under Survey No.163/9-B of Poinguinim village.
The complainant’s NGO Rainbow Warrior’s representatives Abhijeet Prabhudessai, and Diana Tavares besides local activists Judas Barretto, George S. Barretto, and Diogo Da Silva, were present amongst several others, even as there was neither the land-owner nor any representatives were present for the inspection.
According to sources, the land is purchased from a local and the land-owner b, reportedly
‘We are trying to protect the Khazan land and the rich Mangroves, however, what has happened here is mass–cutting of mangroves and massive land-filling with hundreds of truck-loads of mud and ruble is dumped to bury the Khazan land. This is going on inspite of knowing well that khazan land cannot be filled and no developments can be carried out in Khazan land. The 2011 notification also protects mangroves. The GCZMA inspecting team has seen the land-filling works going on even today, and they have accepted the fact with us.
Stating that locals do not want such type of nemesis in their vicinity, but only because government authorities are not performing their duties such massive illegalities are taking place. However, if the government is not going to take action against these broad-day illegalities taking place and continues, and fails to restore the Khazan land, we will have no other option than to approach the Court of Law’.
Diana Tavares also blamed the government of the day saying this government is hand-in-glove with the perpetrators and fails to address the resident’s concerns. ‘If this is allowed to happen, it won’t take much time to head for a disaster of the same magnitude of 2nd Oct’2009 Canacona Floods.’
A local activist Diego Da Silva said, that if the government fails to restore the Khazan land and mangroves, the entire area will be doomed in no time, and said the government just cannot watch the careless blocking natural water-path nor allow the destruction of Khazan land and killing of mangroves.
