Team Herald
PANJIM: The Citizens Committee of Loliem and the villagers of Poinguinim, in separate representations, have called on the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to retain their villages in the Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) of the Western Ghats.
Both petitions, signed by nearly 300 residents each, also request the inclusion of additional villages in the ESA designation.
Loliem villagers had previously submitted requests in April 2017 and September 2022, seeking to retain the village's ESA status in response to MoEF&CC notifications. In their representation, they referenced recent landslides in Kerala, Karnataka, and Goa, stressing the urgency for conservation. The villagers argue that unplanned development, driven by vested interests, has exacerbated environmental risks, leading to widespread destruction of landscapes and loss of life.
"The conservation of our villages as ESAs is critical," said Dattaprasad Prabhugaonkar, president of the Citizens' Committee of Loliem, pointing out that the Goa government, instead of taking precautionary measures, has requested a reduction in the number of villages within ESAs. He argued that more villages and talukas, particularly in Canacona, should be added to the ESA list.
Similarly, Pradeep Mokhadkar, president of Poinguinim Village, stressed the vulnerability of the Western Ghats to landslides and erosion, particularly in areas with lateritic soil and steep slopes, exacerbated by intense monsoons. He pointed out the parallels between Goa and Wayanad, both of which have suffered landslides, emphasising the need to protect the ESAs.
Both Prabhugaonkar and Mokhadkar advocate for the inclusion of all Canacona taluka villages in the ESA notification. They also call for the extension of ESA protection to parts of Quepem, Ponda, Dharbandora, Bicholim, Sanguem, and Sattari, which were previously left out.
They further suggested countering anti-ESA propaganda by clearly explaining the benefits of ESA status to local communities in their own language, and ensuring the possibility of adding more villages to the ESA list in the future.