the goan I network
PANAJI
The government has plans to revive agriculture in khazan lands and also introduce additional activities such as pisciculture with a scheme involving the local community traditionally involved in such activities.
The government has planned to introduce schemes to encourage these activities for conservation and economic use of khazan lands through participation of the local people. This will in turn help preserve and maintain the flora and fauna of the khazan ecosystem.
Protecting khazan areas from inundation through local participation is the primary aim of the scheme.
The government intends to develop a sustainable and gainful model of ecosystem through agriculture, pisciculture, animal farming, rural industries in this khazan area.
The scheme is called Integrated Khazan Development Scheme, the draft of which has been sent for financial approval of the government.
Traditional farmers will be motivated to form a Khajan Vikas Saunstha under the Societies Act 1860 and be given financial grants for machinery and other activities such as maintenance of bunds and sluice gates.
Goa’s khazan lands date back to 400 AD. According to government figures, Goa has about 18,000 Ha of khazans or about 5 per cent of the total geographical area of the state of which around 4,000 Ha area is estimated to already have been lost over the last thirty years.
Of the total khazan land, the government owns 9000 Ha, comunidades own 6386 Ha, and private individuals own 2500 Ha of land.
Here, farmers traditionally cultivated saline water resistant varieties such as Korgut and Azgo. But most have left farming and majority of the lands are fallow. The bunds, too are not maintained properly.
According to the scheme, farmers will be looked as ‘paryavaran saunrakshaks’ (environment protectors) and will be given Rs 60/sqmt of land under cultivation.
All the field work, handling machinery, writing accounts should be done by the members of the society.
