Team Herald
PANJIM: Activist Arthur D’Souza has filed a complaint before Chief Secretary of Goa and 12 other departments alleging that the Bondvall Lake, at Santa Cruz, has been usurped by various people.
There have been illegal filling up of/drying out Bondvall lake by Keshav Kavlekar and others in violation of Supreme Court orders and Environment Protection Act, 1986.
Addressing a press conference in the city, Arthur D’Souza said that he has demanded, in his complaint, that the government officers inspect Bondvall Lake within one month of receiving his complaint.
He said that Bondvall Lake initially formed naturally and later developed through community efforts.
However, he alleged that the lake is being sought to be usurped for private gain by some individuals by seeking to change ownership of community owned lands to private ownership. Towards this end, the private individuals have been using legal proceedings and questionable means, D’Souza alleged.
By doing so, he complained, “The private individuals are jeopardising an important water resource in Santa Cruz and denying its benefits to the community as well as rendering it unsustainable for various life forms and ecosystem.”
“The entire lake has been barricade by tenants, thus denying entry for other villagers to use the lake” D’Souza said.
He claimed that several private individuals have succeeded in acquiring ownership of the land that was a part of the Bondvall Lake, through courts, especially the mamlatdar courts.
Asserting that the Bondvall Lake does not belong to anybody, D’Souza demanded that orders be issued to all encroachers and illegal occupants and land ownership claimants for the restoration of the lake to its original condition as seen on the RP 2021.
Further, demanding the demolition of all illegal constructions within the Bondvall area, D’Souza called for declaring the lake as a natural asset and converting it into natural heritage zone.
