CALANGUTE: Calangute locals have urged the Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB) to declare the Bom Viagem hill on the Calangute-Saligao area as a ‘bio-diversity heritage’ zone and demanded a halt to the further degradation of its eco-sensitive environment.
In a letter to the member secretary, GSBB, the Calangute panchayat Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) said the hill is facing “the reckless actions of developers who have indiscriminately cut down trees on a vast tract of land”.
“This hill has long been cherished by the local community and visitors alike for its unique and irreplaceable ecosystem. It is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, many of which are endemic and endangered. The hill’s dense vegetation not only provides habitat and sustenance for numerous species but also plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance in the region,” the BMC president Benedict Lobo stated.
“The green fabric of ecosystem of the Calangute is under threat with haphazard ways of clearing the files by the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department for the development of projects in low-lying areas and on the slope of Boa Viagem hill having gradient of more than 1:10,” the BMC said in the letter to the member secretary of the GSBB.
According to committee members, during a recent inspection of the Bom Viagem hill, the GSBB officials found a lot of medicinal plants and unique biodiversity in the area. Last week, a GSBB official along with a member of World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Calangute BMC and locals held a meeting in the local panchayat office during which they urged the board to take immediate steps to restore the greenery of the Bom Viagem hill and to ensure that the flagrant disregard to the environment does not go unpunished.
It further said that stricter regulations were needed to safeguard eco-sensitive areas like Bom Viagem hill from future encroachments and destruction.
“We implore you to use your esteemed position to champion the cause of environmental conservation and protection and have it declared as an eco-sensitive or heritage site. Together, we can work towards a sustainable and harmonious future for Calangute village and its precious natural heritage,” stated a letter by the BMC.
