NGO decries indifference by authorities to stop land-filling, cutting of mangroves
A GCZMA team and members of the NGO ‘Rainbow Warriors’ inspect the land at Galgibaga.
CANACONA
A team from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) inspected construction work, including filling of Khazan land and cutting of mangroves, at Magdal-Galgibaga in Poinguinim on Monday.
Incidentally, the same construction work had been previously stopped by Canacona Mamlatdar Jeetendra Bugde after he had inspected the site personally in the second week of April, when the contractor failed to respond to the talathi’s stop-work order and continued to cut mangroves and fill the land.
Interestingly, sources said the works were continuing even on the day the GCZMA team had gone for inspection, as 20-25 workers were allegedly involved in land-filling activities.
A team comprising GCZMA Engineer Tejas Naik, GCZMA Field Surveyor Sidhi Morajkar along with representatives of the NGO ‘Rainbow Warriors’, the complainant, visited the site and conducted the inspection.
Though the GCZMA-appointed Expert Member Radha Rao was not present for the inspection, the inspecting team, however, informed that the necessary inspection report will be submitted to the GCZMA.
The team noted down the destruction of mangroves and filling of critical points of the Khazan land caused by the contractor and also collected the pictures of the sites.
Besides observing the destruction of mangroves right from the edge of Galgibaga river bank, the team also observed that river water had been stopped from entering the Khazan land by carrying out partial land-filling activity.
Rainbow Warrior’s representatives Abhijeet Prabhudessai and Diana Tavares, local activists Judas Barretto, George S. Barretto, Diogo Da Silva and Raju Pagi, were also present at the site inspection.
Incidentally, neither the land owner nor any representatives of the construction firm were present for the inspection.
“We are trying to protect Khazan land and the mangroves, however, what has happened here is mass–cutting of mangroves and massive land-filling with hundreds of truckloads of mud and rubble is dumped to bury the Khazan land,” said Prabhudessai.
“This is going on despite knowing well that Khazan land cannot be filled and no development can be carried out on Khazan land. The GCZMA inspecting team has seen the land-filling works going on even today.”
He said locals do not want such destruction in their vicinity, but said massive illegalities are taking place only because government authorities are not performing their duties.
“If the government does not take action against these illegalities and fails to restore the Khazan land, we will have no other option than to approach the court.”
Diana Tavares also blamed government for fail to take action against the perpetrators and failing to address concerns of residents.
“If this is allowed to happen, it won’t take much time for another disaster along the lines of the Canacona floods of October 2, 2009,” said Tavares.
Local activist Diogo Da Silva feared that if the government failed to restore the Khazan land and mangroves, the entire area will be doomed.
