MARGAO: Forest and Environment Minister, Rajendra Arlekar along with various officials visited Curtorim on Saturday and inspected some of the important sites in the village.
The visit comes following the Curtorim Bio-Diversity Committee letter to the minister and Bio Diversity Board to declare the village as biodiversity heritage village.
The minister promised all possible efforts to declare Curtorim a biodiversity heritage village.
The officials of Bio Diversity Board, Deputy Conservator of Forests, WRD, agriculture department, NIO and others were present for the inspection.
The officials along with the minister visited six sites in Curtorim, including lakes and khazan lands. The minister praised the Bio-Diversity Committee of Curtorim for taking the initiative to declare the village a heritage site. The Curtorim Bio-Diversity Management Committee under the leadership of Santano Rodrigues had written to the Bio Diversity Board demanding that Curtorim be declared as a bio diversity heritage village.
The minister also visited the Handi Khuris at Maina and inspected the khazan lands and the Zuari River.
“I am happy and I appreciate the effort taken by the BDMC of Curtorim to demand the status of heritage village,” Arlekar said.
The panchayat submitted a memorandum to the minister to help them make Curtorim a model village and the minister promised all the help for the same.
The village will get funds for its development and protection of the heritage sites.
