MARGAO: Against the backdrop of opposition to the draft notification that would make the lakes and water bodies of Curtorim a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS), the Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB) has called for a meeting on January 3 at the Secretariat to address concerns raised by stakeholders.
The issue gained attention during the Curtorim village gram sabha, where objections were voiced against granting heritage status to the lakes.
Santan Rodrigues, Chairman of the Curtorim Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC), had clarified that the process began in 2015 through a consultative approach.
However, Oswald Fernandes, a Curtorim Communidade shareholder, disagreed, asserting that Tenants Associations had filed objections, claiming farmers and stakeholders were not consulted. Farmers, including Judas Simon Barretto, expressed dissatisfaction with the final draft, citing lack of consultation with them, property owners, and other stakeholders around Sonbem Tollem (Maina Lake).
In a letter to the GSBB, they objected to the proposal to declare their lake as a BHS, highlighting the absence of consultation and information sharing. They criticized the process as suspicious, illegal, and arbitrary, emphasising the guidelines’ requirement for community involvement, which they believe hasn’t been followed.
Barretto urged the release of all relevant documents and correspondence from 2015 to date for transparency. He requested hard copies of information related to BHS, Curtorim, to address queries during the upcoming presentation and discussion with the GSBB team visiting the Panchayat.
It may be recalled that GSBB had earlier responded to the objections. In a statement, Dr Pradip Sarmokadam, GSBB Member Secretary, emphasised that the ongoing process in Curtorim is one of the most extensively consulted BHS notifications in the State. Addressing concerns about the consultation process, Dr Sarmokadam mentioned the efforts of the Chairperson of the Curtorim BMC, and a series of meetings and consultations that were held to address grievances. The objections received within the stipulated time frame were carefully reviewed by the grievance committee.
Dr Sarmokadam had added that during the meetings, it was noted that adjustments were necessary, with some areas recommended for subtraction and others for addition.
GSBB clarified that the process of declaring Curtorim as a BHS commenced in June 2015, following a letter from former Curtorim Sarpanch Rosy Paes. The process included a joint site inspection in June 2016 to assess the suitability of the site. Following due process, the draft notification for Curtorim BHS was made public for a 60-day period.
