the goan I network
MARGAO
Children and villagers of Benaulim celebrated World Wetlands Day on Saturday with a fervent plea to the government to save the wetlands of Benaulim village by building the controversial western bypass on stilts.
They further urged the Wetlands Authority of Goa to declare the low-lying, flood plains of river Sal and the lakes, which faces the prospects of being destroyed by land filling to make way for the western bypass, as the wetlands and protect the fields for posterity.
Addressing the students and citizens on the bandh adjoining the water body opposite the Karle property, former Benaulim Sarpanch Royla Fernandes said the bypass would devastate the low-lying fields and lakes along the western bypass alignment.
“Today is World Wetlands Day, being observed across the state to save the wetlands from destruction. The large tracts of low lying areas coming under the alignment of the bypass in Benaulim village constitute the wetlands of the village”, she said, while making a plea to the Wetlands Authority of Goa to declare the fields as wetlands.
Royla feared that the low lying fields and lakes will just disappear if land filling to make way for the bypass is allowed in the village.
“We have to save these water bodies from extinction. These water bodies not only acts as water catchment areas during monsoons but help recharge the ground water and play host to the rich flora and fauna,” she added.
The participants undertook a bird walk along the bandh overlooking the water body.
Mabel Menezes, while addressing the students said migratory birds will stop coming to Benaulim if the fields, which have been their sanctuary for years, is disturbed by land filling.
“These migratory birds keep coming to the same place year after year, but may disappear if their habitat is disturbed by land filing to make way for the western bypass”, she feared.
