MARGAO: Tensions escalate in Raia as objections flood in against the government’s draft notification identifying Bacbhatt and Bebki lakes as wetlands. Following the recent gram sabha where villagers voiced their concerns, local MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco has also added his voice to the dissent, filing a complaint with the Goa State Biodiversity Board.
In his complaint, MLA Lourenco urged for awareness camps for property owners within the Wetland Buffer Zone. He emphasised the need for obtaining No Objection Certificates (NOC) from each property owner, ensuring their understanding and consent regarding the inclusion of their properties in the Buffer Zone.
The draft notification has stirred unrest among Raia villagers, who argue that these lakes, Bacbhatt and Bebki, have been integral to their lives for generations. The lakes, seasonal in nature, serve as vital water sources during the monsoons, supporting agricultural activities and providing water for cattle.
MLA Lourenco expressed concern over the implications of the Buffer Zone regulations, which restrict permanent construction except for boat jetties. The lakes, being small and serving agricultural purposes, have settlements around their periphery, and residents fear irreversible losses of their prime properties if the Buffer Zone is implemented.
“These lakes are seasonal; water is harvested during the monsoons and used for irrigation of the fields and as watering holes for the cattle of the farmers. The lakes are small and get filled to their capacity during the monsoons and dry up in the summer,” said the MLA.
“It is also said in the notification that cultivation of crops is prohibited in the wetlands, which defeats the very purpose of the lakes,” emphasised MLA Reginaldo. He highlighted the traditional practice of cultivating fields within the lakes during the monsoons and closing sluice gates afterward to harvest water for the summer crop.
Caitan Fernandes, a Raia resident, criticised authorities for not engaging with villagers before designating the lakes as wetlands.
He expressed concern over the lack of consideration for the impact of such a declaration on the lives and livelihoods of the residents.
