As reported in the media, the Director of Panchayats through its circular had instructed the village panchayats, municipalities to constitute or reconstitute the biodiversity management committees in the gram sabhas held on October 2.

Most of the panchayats, municipalities adhered to the direction, but the Calangute gram sabha objected to its formation because neither the panchayat members nor the secretary could explain what biodiversity really means.  Many said there was huge destruction of biodiversity by cutting sand dunes, which resulted in the migration of animals.

The issue of village, municipality biodiversity management cannot be looked in isolation, apart from the other issues co-related to the village, municipality development. In the past the mining lobby dominated Goan politics and presently the builders and developers lobby is influencing Goa’s political scenario. 

Both these lobbies have contributed to the highest damage of Goa in terms of biodiversity, environment and ecology and therefore only the GSB Board cannot handle the issue, alone. It needs a concerted co-ordination and co-operation of other three departments - the TCP, Forest and WRD  - without which the constitution of BMCs will be an exercise in futility  and a waste of tax payer’s money, since a lot of money flows to these committees. 

We have to consider the issue squarely. Since biodiversity includes the holistic management of flora and fauna, it demands a coordinated effort not only of the above mentioned departments but also the villages/municipalities, if we sincerely want to strike a balance between biodiversity, ecology and environment and development.

With regard to the flora, we have to bear in mind that our villages and hills have a lot of medicinal plants, which can cure various ailments, where conventional medicines fail. These plants are fast disappearing due to rapid urbanization and unplanned development. 

When dealing with plant biodiversity, not only medicinal plants, but horticultural plants, vegetables specific to certain villages as watermelons of Parra, Bananas of Moira, Brinjals of Agassaim, lady fingers of Santo Estevam, cowpea (allsandde) of Salcete , quality chilies of Canacona etc are to be taken care of.  Next comes the fauna species as birds, as well as wild animals some of which can attack humans, destroy agriculture, besides causing other damages. Most Goan villages were dotted with forest-like areas which constituted the habitat for wild life. Some like Kadamba Plateau, some areas in Ponda, Sattari etc had dense forest, which were considered to be wild life reserves, where hunters had a field time at nights. 

Since a few years back, as hunting was prohibited this type of biodiversity saw an increase. But presently due to complete deforestation of these areas, wild life like porcupines, boars, peacocks, monkeys, pythons were forced to migrate to the neighboring village forest patches where presently they are playing havoc with the agriculture, horticulture and even destroying young coconut trees. They also constitute danger to human life since they can attack humans and destroy property, like monkeys breaking tiles and eating papayas, bananas and tender coconuts. Are these constituted villages, BMCs are supposed to take care of this type of biodiversity also? This is a moot question the Goa State Biodiversity Board has to answer the Goan public. Or will the GSB Board protect it by fencing these new habitats or catch the animals and take them to the designated forests, since people are clamouring to declare these animals ‘vermins.’ 

Before these new committees start the mapping and taxonomical classification of biodiversity in their villages/ municipalities the GSB Board has to clearly instruct these BMCs about their job, otherwise there is no point in this huge exercise. 

I spoke about the co-ordination between the four departments,  however, unfortunately in Goa, one department overrules the other and instead of co-ordinated action they become destroyers of our fragile environment and ecology. I will point out what I mean - the planning rules allow an increase of 3 per cent settlement around the existing settlements. How the TCP allowed the entire Kadamba plateau to be converted into settlement. And one wonders how the forest department closed its eyes to all this? The Forest rules state where one trees is cut two trees are to be planted. Where there is space for plantation if the entire area is converted into settlement? How did the GSB Board allows all this to happen? The Water Resources Department has been concretizing lakes and river borders, as well as creeks and nallas. However, these water bodies existed even before the formulation of WRD. The birds, domestic and wild animals have been descending on these water resources to drink water during dry seasons. By building concrete walls around these water bodies no birds  and animals can approach these water bodies to satisfy their thirst. 

On the river borders small fish like ‘topi’ or ‘korsandde’, crabs etc. used to lay their eggs and multiply. When the river borders are concretized small fishes were affected because cement-concrete acts as nuisance for them. Building of concrete walls creates danger to humans also because if on the high tide, someone who does not know swimming is thrown by mischief or revenge in these waters he will get drowned, being unable to hold on to anything like wild roots, stones or tree branches. 

After a few years these concrete walls start degenerating and become a nuisance on these river borders. This can be seen in many places, which have been concretized along the river borders. So in the name of false development let us not destroy our river, lake borders which have been there for centuries and have never changed their course. The common man fails to understand the need for concretization of these borders. Therefore, there is need of continuous co-ordination and co-operation among these various government departments if one wants to see the holistic development of Goa, its biodiversity, ecology and environment.