Team Goemkarponn
CORTALIM: Goencho Ekvott has called for stronger environmental protection laws while announcing the successful completion of its sixth Mangrove Restoration Programme at Cortalim, where more than 300 mangrove saplings were planted in memory of late environmentalist Dr. Bolmax Pereira.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Joint General Secretary Olencio Simoes and Founder Member Orville Dourado said the plantation drive was jointly organised by St. Joseph Vaz College, Cortalim, Goencho Ekvott, One Earth Foundation, Goa Green Ecosystem and the Chicalim Youth Farmers Club, with support from the Goa State Biodiversity Board, the Diocesan Commission for Ecology and the Biodiversity Management Committee of Sancoale.
Highlighting the ecological importance of mangroves, Simoes said they serve as a natural shield against coastal erosion and storm surges by reducing wave energy through their extensive root systems. He added that mangroves are among the world’s most effective “blue carbon” ecosystems, storing significantly higher amounts of carbon than many terrestrial forests while providing breeding grounds for fish, prawns, crabs and other marine species that support Goa’s traditional fishing communities.
Expressing concern over what he described as the weakening of environmental safeguards, Simoes alleged that amendments to environmental regulations, including the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, have largely favoured development over environmental protection. He demanded amendments to the Goa Preservation of Trees Act, 1984, proposing that the current compensatory plantation requirement of three trees for every tree felled be increased to at least ten, along with stricter monitoring and enforcement.
He also criticised the practice of carrying out compensatory afforestation outside Goa for projects involving large-scale tree felling within the state, insisting that trees lost in Goa should be replaced within the state itself.
Dourado appreciated the participation of students, volunteers and environmental groups in the restoration programme and said long-term conservation depends on active public involvement. The organisers reaffirmed their commitment to expanding mangrove restoration and environmental awareness initiatives across Goa to promote a greener and more climate-resilient future.
