Team Herald
CALANGUTE: The Calangute Constituency Forum (CCF) submitted a memorandum, on Friday, to various authorities requesting them to initiate immediate action to stop the deforestation and hill cutting being carried out behind Boa Viagem chapel and the convent of the Sisters of Handmaids of Christ at Calangute.
The memorandum has been handed over to the office of the Revenue Minister, Chief Secretary, North Goa Collector, Conservator of Forest and Wildlife and the NGPDA. It carries hundreds of signatures.
The Forum would submit a copy of the memorandum to the Calangute panchayat on Saturday.
The locals allege that the forest and hill is being destroyed by the owner of the plots bearing survey Nos 30/1, 25/1, 42/11 and 46/1. Large tracts of green areas are being developed for a commercial establishment or night club. Since the authorities concerned have been unable to curb and control the destruction, the locals under the banner of Calangute Constituency Forum (CCF) got together for a protest march to stop this activity.
The memorandum stated that if these illegalities are not nipped in the bud, it would lead to environmental degradation, including climate change and forced evictions due to environmental factors.
The memorandum also demanded the ODP-2025 to be scrapped which “is a threat to the environment and ecological balance.”
The conversion of orchard land into settlement under the ODP-2025 would lead to ecological imbalance and will also have other side effects such as noise pollution, destruction of the tranquillity of the village, increase in vehicular traffic, parking issues, irreversible environmental damage and rampant construction.
The current electricity supply barely meets the existing demand. If this outline development plan is approved, the existing irregular electric supply issue will get worse. The water supply will become even scarcer, ground water depletion will take place due to bore-wells being sunk and sewage discharge will lead to groundwater pollution.
Earlier, during the protest the Attorney Comunidade of Calangute and Chairman of Sub Committee (ODP 2025), Anthony D’Souza assured the gathering that all hills and fields are comunidade property and they would not allow any conversion.
“These will be used only for agricultural purpose; however, with the help of politicians and the panchayat some people are misusing these lands for commercial and other purposes. At the recently held Comunidade AGM dated October 28 it was unanimously resolved by the shareholders to revoke all the NOCs given to government as well as private parties,” D’Souza said.
However, the President of Calangute Constituency Forum, Premanand Divkar revealed that the Calangute comunidade itself has converted 3,900 sq mts of land in survey No 265/2 on the Baga hill and demarcated 10,000 sq mts for another government project in survey No 253.
“This is total destruction of the hill where fruit bearing trees, medicinal plants and biodiversity will be destroyed. If he is supporting the protection of hills and fields then being the Chairman of the sub-committee appointed by NGPDA of ODP – 2025 he should de-notify both those lands and revert it back to its original status,” told Divkar.
