MARGAO: Sudden objections in declaring Curtorim Biodiversity Heritage site has raised serious questions, wherein a group of citizens including farmers fear that this move is to take over the precious Ganvkari system or community villages or communidade system.
Speaking to O Heraldo, few citizens stated that everything in Goan villages from village roads, footpaths, lakes, ponds, paddy fields, khazan lands, bunds, sluice gates, playgrounds, school buildings, chavddis, grazing grounds, temples, churches, crematoria, cemeteries, etc, the land has been reserved by the Comunidades for the use and benefit of the village people.
“Everything the Government is enjoying today has come from the Comunidades but the Government has never had a word of appreciation for the Ganvkaris; on the contrary it is trying to abolish them,” said Oswald Fernandes, a resident of Curtorim.
He further said that the Comunidades were responsible for the good behaviour of Goans. The system has contributed in the past to a great extent for this purpose. Earlier, the Comunidades were administering justice to the people in their villages and even imposed fines on the violators of village laws, customs and usages.
“The village community has given Goans everything. Everything we have and are is what they have received from this Mother. Mother of Goans has already spoiled much of her clothing-the land, for various Central and State Government projects”, he added.
Pointing out that the late Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar is on record having said in the Goa Assembly in 2013, that out of 3702 sq kms which comprise the area of Goa State only 362 sq kms are available for future development and now all present endeavours of declaration of Biodiversity Heritage Sites or legalizing all illegal constructions in the Ganvkari land will amount to stripping the Mother of her little remaining clothes and throwing her out naked on the road.
Peter Dias, another citizen of Curtorim stated that Goa State Biodiversity Board has been misguided.
“The process pertaining to declaring Curtorim Biodiversity Heritage Site might have started long back but it was not done properly. All the stakeholders were not taken into consideration. Such type of issues cannot be handled in haste,” he stated.
When contacted, member secretary of Goa State Biodiversity Board Pradip Sarmokadam said, “We had consultations with the villagers. Plans were put up in the office of the Curtorim Biodiversity Management Committee and it was open for 60 days. We also had public awareness with the villagers.”
Sarmokadam further said, “After adding new areas if there are more apprehensions then the State Biodiversity Board is always open for discussions. It was the propositions of the village panchayat itself based on which we are going ahead. We have not proposed it from the top to do this. It has come from the village itself.
Some people will always oppose. There is never 100 per cent consensus for anything. This apprehension that their land may be acquired is baseless as there is neither such provision nor any intent. The villagers will enjoy all the pre-existing rights and privileges. Even if they want certain new things to be included, that can be included,” he said.
