MARGAO
The government-appointed Grievance Committee headed by retired Judge, Desmond D’Costa on Friday set in motion the process of hearing suggestions and objections to the draft notification on notifying areas in Curtorim village as bio-diversity heritage sites.
Besides, Desmond D’Costa, other members of the committee, including Joint Revenue Secretary Surendra Naik, Member Secretary Pradip Sarmokadam, besides members of the survey department descended in Curtorim on Friday for a hearing after the draft notification had received objections and suggestions, one from the Curtorim panchayat and other from social activist Judith Almeida.
Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, Curtorim Sarpanch Caetano Hilario, panchayat members, besides Curtorim Bio-Diversity Management Committee Chairman J Santan Rodrigues also participated in the deliberations.
The Curtorim panchayat and the Curtorim village bio-diversity committee had submitted a host of suggestions to the State Bio-Diversity Board with a plea to also notify the village khazan lands and the spring as bio-diversity heritage sites along with the lakes and water bodies.
The panchayat and the village bio-diversity management committee had submitted survey numbers of the khazan lands and the springs for inclusion in the village heritage sites.
Joint Revenue Secretary Surendra Naik said the panel headed by Chairman Desmond D’Costa has conducted the hearing to the suggestions and objections filed by the Curtorim panchayat and the social activists. “After the hearing, the process of inclusion of the survey numbers in the heritage sites plan will be incorporated by the agencies. After the process, the bio-diversity heritage site draft plan will again be placed in public domain for the people to take a look and make suggestions,” Naik said.
The Goa State Bio-diversity Board had in May last proposed to declare lakes and fields of biodiversity importance in Curtorim village admeasuring an area of 6,11,757 square metres as biodiversity heritage sites. Raloi Tollem (161378 sq. mts), Angdi Tollem (117039), Sonbem Tollem (127223), Gud Tollem (5795), Mai Tollem (130850 sq mts) Colamb Tollem (50925 sq mts), besides Maitoloi/paddy field (7160 sq mts) are proposed to be declared as biodiversity heritage sites.
