MARCOS GONSALVES
marcos@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Two years past but Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBBD) is yet to carry out the process of notifying Curtorim village as a Biodiversity Heritage Site as the final approved plan from the Curtorim panchayat is still due. Villagers hope that their village would be the first to get such recognition in the Goa, under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Herald revealed that the process of notifying the same has been held up due to the internal issues of the village panchayat and Curtorim Biodiversity Committee.
Speaking to Herald J Santano Rodrigues, chairman of the Curtorim Biodiversity Committee said that the Curtorim biodiversity management committee (BMC) in its proposal included six big lakes of the village—Mai Tollem, Gud Tollem, Angddi Tollem, Ralloi Tollem, Sonbem Tollem and Colomba Tollem-along with associated khazan areas, mangroves and agro-ecosystems as the extent of BHS.
“The proposal has point out that the village has a long standing legacy of rich natural and cultural heritage. However, slowly with development we can notice metamorphosis that would erase the rich culture of biodiversity,” he said.
He is of the strong opinion that once the ecosystem is declared as a Biodiversity Heritage Site, the local population will be involved in conservation of the site.
As mentioned in the proposal consisting of nearly 84 pages the village of Curtorim – Codtary, Coddetary, or Kardeley it seems the village was known in olden times and was baptized by the Portuguese as Curtorim. It was also known as Cuddtari. It is now known as
“We should have done lots of things if the proposal was notified but to our bad luck the concerned authorities and the local body seem to be least bothered. Recently the Village panchayat had approved the plan after giving hearings to one of the petitioners who objected to some parts of the proposal,” said Rodrigues.
He further said that such a proposal should not have been kept pending for a long time. “Two things can be done, accept it or reject it,” said Rodrigues.
He also clarified that there is no self interest in pushing the village as a Heritage site but only aim is to preserve and protect the rich biodiversity of the village.
Deputy sarpanch of village panchayat of Curtorim Simon Barretto said that the panchayat has no objection to the proposal and due process will be followed in the next few days of time.
Pradeep Sarmokadam, Member Secretary of the GSBDD said that the Board is waiting for the approved plan from the village panchayat for the further process.
“There were internal issues amongst the panchayat body and Curtorim Biodiversity Committee. However, I have been informed that the issues are resolved and the plan has been once again approved after giving enough hearings to one of the complainant. Panchayat will be sending the same to the Board in next few days of time,” said Sarmokadam.
Curtorim, (English, Portuguese), Curtore (konkani), Kuddtore (Hindi, and Marathi), and probably Kuddtorihalli, (halli- village) in Kannada.
Curtorim being essentially an agricultural land, it is divided into 3 distinct zones: The high zones comprising morods, lateritic morods which are cut on the hill sides, the middle zones largely flat /plain being arenosilicon, and the low-lying area being argellio silicon (addis) and finally the khazans reclaimed from the river with bunds of muddy soil.
