Team Herald

PORVORIM: Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Friday stated that the government will notify all the lakes and declare them as No Development Zones by amending the Goa Irrigation Act.

The assurance was made in the Goa Legislative Assembly in response to the Private Members’ Resolutions moved by Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro demanding that the government identify all lakes and conserve them.

Faleiro moved a resolution demanding that the government declare Saipem Lake, Telaulim Lake, Coldem Lake and Boshi Lake in Navelim constituency as bio-heritage sites and no development zones. In another resolution, he demanded that the government identify all lakes and inland rivers to protect and conserve them and ban any constructions on the banks of the rivers, which pollute them. Both resolutions were withdrawn upon the Chief Minister’s statement. 

Responding to the demands, Sawant said, “In one month we will notify all the lakes in the State as No Development Zone and also amend the Goa Irrigation Act. All the rivers have been notified in 1982.”

Responding to the demand to utilise mining pits, which have turned into lakes, he said, “Centre’s permission to use the mining pits as water reservoirs will be taken as the provision for the mines is for the closure of the mines after mining activity.”

Water Resources Minister Felipe Neri Rodrigues said, “Lakes are a treasure of the State and there was a time when we were all for visual development but atleast now our public representatives are sensitive towards them.”

He further said that all the lakes and water resources will be identified by the department and rejuvenated. “We will also amend the Goa Irrigation Act and undertake the mapping of water resources in the State. We will write to TCP and the panchayats to not to permit any development near water bodies,” he added.

Earlier speaking on the resolution, Faleiro stated that after the Liberation governments undertook a lot of development works, however, the people of Navelim had to suffer. He said, “The natural treasures handed over to us need to be protected for the future. Saipem Lake is polluted with sewage from Margao. Former chief minister Manohar Parrikar had promised to treat water from the lake and replenish it.”

He further said, “We are destroying our mountains, lakes, paddy fields and the bio-diversity given to us. The time has come to stop it, else we are sure of continuing the destruction. There is a need to treat the waste of the lakes so that the flora and fauna returns back.”

Supporting the resolution, Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao demanded that the WRD Minister enquire into the Rs 4 crore sanctioned during the Congress government for rejuvenating Saipem Lake. 

Poriem MLA Pratapsingh Rane said, “We have to pass a legislation to protect our water resources. Heavy fines have to be levied for polluting the water resources. People should be punished for open defecation into the rivers and lakes. For posterity we have to protect the fresh water resources and in the years to come with global warming we need to save our water resources.”

Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, commending the work of the ancestors, said that during the present day and time similar lakes cannot be developed. “We will never be able to develop such lakes ever even with technology. We need to declare areas around as No Development Zones. Let such lakes be identified and saved,” he stated.