MARGAO: The decision to declare Curtorim as a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS) remains in limbo as stakeholders seek inclusion in the process. A meeting convened to address concerns raised by farmers and other stakeholders has resulted in the decision to provide one more opportunity for identification of areas and to address any missed pre-existing rights.
For several years, the proposal moved by the Curtorim panchayat to declare the agrarian village as a Biodiversity Heritage Site has faced obstacles, with objections raised by farmers and other stakeholders adding complexity to the issue. The recent meeting, attended by Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, aimed to hear the grievances of stakeholders and find a consensus. The meeting concluded with an agreement to identify areas at the ward level, ensuring the involvement of all stakeholders in the decision-making process before declaring Curtorim as a BHS. This step is seen as an effort to address the objections raised and foster a more inclusive approach. J Santano Rodrigues, Chairman of Curtorim Biodiversity Management Committee, told O Heraldo about the decision to include everyone’s views and provide another opportunity for stakeholders to identify their areas. A group of farmers and other stakeholders have claimed that they were not taken into confidence on the issue; however, those involved in the matter had stated that the process was started long back.
Oswald Fernandes, a resident of Curtorim, expressed concerns about the attempt to proceed with the proposal despite objections. “At the meeting almost all claimed that they were not taken into
confidence. The present decision taken to have consultation with all the stakeholder proves that the process done in the past was not proper,” he alleged.
