Team Herald
MARGAO: As a step forward, the Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB) has moved a proposal for the draft notification pertaining to notify Curtorim village as a Biodiversity Heritage Site, but the final process of notifying the same will be completed only after the forthcoming panchayat elections.
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Speaking to Herald, Pradeep Sarmokadam, member secretary of the GSBDD informed that the Board has already forwarded the same for the draft notification before the government, and it will be notified in the government Official Gazette very soon.
It is pertinent to note that the process of notifying Curtorim village as a biodiversity heritage site has been halted due to several reasons for the last few years, as the villagers hope that their village would be the first to get such recognition in the State, under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Earlier, the process was held up due to the internal issues of Curtorim Village Panchayat and Curtorim Biodiversity Committee. However, later all the hurdles were cleared and the GSBBD had approved the proposal.
Speaking to Herald, J Santano Rodrigues, chairman of Curtorim Biodiversity Committee informed that the Curtorim Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) in its proposal included six big lakes of the village, namely Mai Tollem, Gud Tollem, Angddi Tollem, Ralloi Tollem, Sonbem Tollem and Colomba Tollem — along with associated khazan areas, mangroves and agro-ecosystems as the extent of BHS.
“We the Biodiversity Committee, besides the people of Curtorim, are eagerly waiting to hear the good news about our village. There is a lot of delay in getting the approval from the government and notifying the same. Our expectations were that this would be notified before the coming panchayat elections,” he stated.
Further, he said, “The said proposal has pointed out that the village has a long standing legacy of rich natural and cultural heritage. However, slowly with development we can notice metamorphosis that would erase the rich culture of biodiversity.”
Rodrigues is of the strong opinion that once the ecosystem is declared as a Biodiversity Heritage Site, the local population will be involved in conservation of the site.
“The process is completed and just waiting for the government to notify in the Official Gazette. However, after the draft notification, it will be kept open for public suggestions and their say, as per the government procedure. One thing is sure that Curtorim village will be declared as a Biodiversity Heritage Site for sure and there is no doubt in that,” Sarmokadam said.
As mentioned in the proposal consisting of nearly 84 pages, the village of Curtorim was known in olden times as Codtary, Coddetary or Kardeley and was baptised by the Portuguese as Curtorim. It was also known as Cuddtari.
