PANJIM: The Goa State Wetland Authority (GSWA) has issued advisory to government departments directing them to either maintain a status quo or notify the Authority before granting any permission, licenses or NOCs in the areas surrounding the identified water bodies.
“The advisory is issued to avoid any damage or construction or activities of permanent nature that could adversely affect the ecological character of the wetland,” the official said.
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The GSWA technical committee during its meeting held in December, 2020 had resolved to issue an advisory to the government departments in a bid to conserve and grant protection to the identified water bodies that are set to be notified as the wetlands.
The authority has demarcated 50 meters of buffer zone for the wetlands. The zone of influence is demarcated as per recommendation of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), which is currently in process of identifying the wetlands. It is assumed that developmental activities in the zone of influence area likely to induce adverse changes in wetland structure and functioning. So the authorities are cautious in aligning developmental planning within the zone of influence with wetland biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Meanwhile, during the recent GSWA meeting held on February 10, it was decided to permit certain activities like paddy cultivation, renovation of existing structures, etc within wetland’s zone of influence and to float a scheme to allow setting up of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), to ensure that waste discharge from the houses, existing within the buffer zone, does not get dissolved in the wetland.
So far, only Bondvol lake in St Cruz is identified as wetland, while three more water bodies Dhasi in Rivona, Nanda and Xeldem in Quepem, are apparently in queue as per the Union Environment Ministry’s Rule.
The draft notification for more water bodies- Toyaar Lake (Chimbel), Pilerne Lake (Pilerne), Sarzora Lake (Sarzora), Sulabhat Lake (Agassaim), Talaulim lake (Talaulim), Tarvalem Lake and Udden Lake (Shiroda), Mayem Lake (Bicholim), Curtorim Lake (Curtorim), Sonbem Lake (Maina), Macazana Lake (Macazana), Comunidade Lake (Guirdolim), Ambulor Lake (Verna), Kamla Tollem (Benaulim), would be issued wherein public can submit their inputs within 60-days.
