Vasco: The ‘Screw Pines’ locally known as ‘Kherr’ saplings which were planted a year ago at the Velsao beach coastline by a social activist played an important role this year in halting the massive sand erosion which was occuring in the past few years. People on social media have appreciated the move taken up by activist Olencio Simoes from Cansaulim. Simoes, who is an activist, chose to plant ‘Kherr’ saplings on the beach to stop sand erosion and succeeded.
When contacted Simoes, a well-known environmental activist, workers leader and general secretary of Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott group, said, “Goa has a pristine coastline of 105km but due to sand erosion we have already lost 27kms. Even though we have raised an alarm on this issue the government has sadly failed to address the issue till date. The previous government had made some efforts to stop sand erosion by installing flexible barriers called ‘geo-tubes’ but was futile”.
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He further said, “the beach stretch from Velsao to Arossim is facing severe sand erosion of upto 6 meters of depth since the last 2 years during monsoon. Even after writing to the Water Resource Department nothing concrete has come from their side, therefore the only solution left for us was to follow the path of our ancestors who used to grow this “Pandanus” or “Screw Pines” which is locally called as “Kerr” to stop water entering in their properties.Therefore, we decided to grow the same and it has yield fruits”.
When questioned Simoes about the details of these shrubs species, he said, “‘Pandanus’ are palm-like, deciduous trees and shrubs native and once grown they multiply in no time. Like mangroves, ‘Pandanus’ also play an important role in protecting our coastline. If this tree/shrubs is hit by strong waves it does not get uprooted like other trees as the roots of such trees have a firm grip as the roots are spread in large area thus preventing erosion,” he said.
“These plants should be protected under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 or in Coastal Regulation Zone(CRZ). Cyclone Tauktae has already caused massive sand erosion much ahead of monsoon therefore, I appeal to the forest department along with WRD and tourism to grow these trees/shrubs all along the coastline to prohibit sand erosion as we are likely to lose our coastline rapidly” he added.
Orville Dourado Rodrigues (Founder Goencho Ekvott) and a resident of Cansaulim said, Simoes has indeed employed age old and proven natural technique of reducing the sand erosion along the coastline by planting ‘Screw Pine’ saplings just before the High Tide Line (HTL) on the seaward side. “Recently we experienced inclement weather wherein we experienced an abrupt rise in the seawater on account of Cyclone Tauktae which devastated the coastline in South Goa. However the ‘Screw Pine’ saplings planted last year by Olencio as a pilot project withstood the huge waves to a great extent acting as a natural barrier which is quite remarkable”, he said.
“Saplings of Screw Pine are available in abundance for free and the coastal Village Panchayats should take up planting these within the HTL line employing local labour who are currently without any means of sustenance on account of the COVID-19 pandemic,”Rodrigues added.
When asked about his view on this innovative move, Fr Bolmax Pereira, who is a research scholar on wetlands of Goa and biodiversity, applauded the move and said such kind of eco-friendly steps need to be taken by the concerned government bodies which Simoes has taken in his individual capacity.
Fr Pereira said, “it is a scientifically proven fact that the dense forests, trees or for that matter mangroves tend to disturb and distribute the strong wind and water currents which otherwise leads to sand erosion of coastline. I feel panchayats, municipalities should come forward and adopt this step of planting seaweed, Screw Pine saplings on the coastlines to avoid sand erosion”.
He said he will mention this success story in his sermons so that this good innovative idea reaches many people.
