VASCO: The two-day public meeting held to discuss suggestions and objections regarding the declaration of Maimollem Lake as a wetland concluded on Friday, with a total of 156 participants submitting their inputs. The meeting, organised by the Goa State Wetland Authority (GSWA) through its grievances cell, saw 98 individuals providing feedback on the second day, following 58 submissions on the first day.
Most of the residents and farmers demanded protection of rights and privileges for themselves and house owners. Social activist Sanjay Redkar claimed that declaring Maimollem Lake as a wetland was a good initiative by the Goa State Biodiversity Board. However, he suggested that the rights of dwellers and residents be protected and farmers be given rights for cultivation in the future. He pointed out that a crematorium in the area was not feasible in the wetland since it was low-lying land.
Redkar further opined that fields at Mundvel and Orulem, which are similar to fields in Maimollem, should also be included in the wetland, or all the fields in Maimollem should be excluded and only Maimollem Lake classified as a wetland.
Shailesh Govekar, a resident, pointed out that Maimollem fields have been getting inundated since 1995 and could not be cultivated. He demanded that cultivation rights be given to farmers and those living in houses with roof tiles be allowed to construct RCC structures in the future, while protecting their rights.
Another resident, Bablo Naik, said that he was mainly concerned about his house built in 1955. “I wanted to know whether I could reconstruct my house in the future,” to which the grievances committee verbally assured him that he could construct, upgrade, or renovate his house in the future. “I have no objection to declaring it a wetland, but the rights of the people need to be protected,” Naik said.
Vasco MLA Krishna ‘Daji’ Salkar, member secretary of Goa State Biodiversity Board Pradip Sarmikadam and Mormugao Biodiversity Board chairman and councillor Yatin Kamurlekar were present during the public hearings.
Member Secretary of the GSWA, Johnson Fernandes, said that 80 per cent of the doubts and issues raised by the residents regarding the effects on their farms, houses, and lands if Maimollem Lake was declared a wetland were resolved during the two-day public hearing. He thanked the people for their peaceful approach towards the grievance cell committee.
Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar also claimed that the majority of issues raised by farmers and house owners in the area were resolved, while the concerns of the landowners would be heard again by the GSWA.
