PANJIM: Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade on Monday urged the Union government to provide necessary assistance in terms of special grants, technical expertise and robust policy framework to revitalise khazan lands and ensure their sustainable management, which will help to bring back thousands of hectares of land under cultivation.
Making a demand for restoration and support for Goa’s Khazan land in the Upper House, Tanavade said that the khazan land system is an engineering marvel crafted by our ancestors centuries ago. It consists of reclaimed wetlands and low lying lands located in the inter-tidal zones off tidal affected rivers.
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These lands are protected and regulated by marginal marine claimants sluice gates system called ‘Manos’ located near the mouth of rivers. The khazan land system is a perfect model of an eco-system with an excellent blend of man, marine life, flora, fauna; land, agriculture, water bodies, migratory birds habitats, mangroves, forests and beautiful backwaters.
However, these lands are now facing threats from extreme weather, events driven by climate change including change in the rainfall patterns, flooding and rising sea levels. These factors are leading to permanent loss of land, erosion of river banks, pollution of ground water due to salinity ingress and flooding of nearby villagers.
“Stop the permanent loss of land and make the State more resilient to the challenges of climate change, sea level rise and changes in rainfall patterns. Restoring khazan land will not only preserve our cultural heritage but also enhance our environmental sustainability,” Tanavade said.
