Following a successful push by Chimbel residents for environmental transparency, a joint site inspection and survey of the Toyyar Lake wetland in the village commenced on Saturday.
The survey was initially planned by the State government to demarcate the Unity Mall and Prashasan Stambh project portion of the land. However, villagers demanded that a fresh survey be conducted of the entire wetland, as assured by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant during his meeting with the locals.
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Villagers have asserted that the wetland, its buffer zone and zone of influence spans around 4.5 lakh square metres. The survey is being carried out by government officials under the watchful eyes of the locals, along with experts monitoring the survey process on behalf of the villagers.
Representing the villagers, Adv Melisa Simoes said, “Joint inspection of the entire area started from Saturday. As of now the inspection team has completed all the channels of the inflow of water. They have taken the highest water mark of the wetland. On Sunday morning inspection will continue wherein the team will take the outflow of water, test the soil as well as they will do the mapping of all the plants and vegetation. By Sunday the joint inspection will be completed.”
TERRA Hydrotech Solutions hydrologist Smitesh Talawadekar was present monitoring the survey on behalf of the villagers. The survey, which was earlier scheduled on Friday was deferred by a day after villagers demanded a comprehensive demarcation of the entire wetland system connected to the Toyyar Lake.
Chimbel Wetland Committee chairman Govind Shirodkar said, “On Saturday we inspected the inflow of water and the villagers aided the team in mapping all the water lines. The team also mapped the highest elevation point. On Sunday we will inspect the outflow of water. Until the government renotifies the wetland nothing will be done at the site.”
Extending her support to the Chimbel villagers, Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee president Pratiksha Khalap said, “As a woman and a concerned citizen of Goa, I strongly oppose the manner in which the Unity Mall project at Chimbel is being pushed without taking local people into confidence. Development cannot come at the cost of our environment, water bodies and the safety of our villages. Women are the first to bear the brunt when natural resources are destroyed whether it is water scarcity, flooding or loss of livelihoods. The government must respect the sentiments of the villagers of Chimbel, follow due process and explore sustainable alternatives. Goa’s identity, ecology and democratic rights cannot be bulldozed in the name of development.”
Adv Amit Palekar said, “Government will try its authorities to say everything is fine. Government claims of utilising Rs 25 crore so far but it is not spent on the site. If this money is spent off-site then shift it to another location. Are people’s sentiments more important than Rs 25 crore? Government is incurring wasteful expenditure in events spending crores of rupees. People are asking for a safe environment. But the government is making it an ego that we will go ahead and come what may. It can be shifted to any other place. Unity Malls are constructed in cities of every State and it can be relocated at Dona Paula where land is already acquired by the government.”
Activist Glean Cabral said, “The government should mark the core areas and buffer zones on the Regional Plan. It is the demand of the people because nobody knows the boundaries of notified wetlands. For example the maximum influence zone of the Carambolim Lake falls in the Old Goa village. There it should be properly marked so that people will know the exact zone of influence.”
