the goan I network
VASCO
In a bid to protect the Sancoale Bay, the Sancoale Village Biodiversity Management Committee (SVBMC) on Friday resolved that the Sancoale Bay be notified as a biodiversity heritage hotspot.
The Sancoale Panchayat has also agreed to offer additional fund to SVBMC, if required, in an effort to protect the Sancoale bay.
According to SVBMC Chairman Navin Jha, the SVBMC had decided in the last meeting that Sancoale Bay which is the only breeding ground for the endangered species like windowpane oysters across Asia had to be protected on war footing.
During a meeting at the Sancoale panchayat on Friday, there was a presentation wherein SVBMC signed a MOU with an organization which assists in providing technical support to file People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR).
“The Goa state Biodiversity Board and SVBMC has made an agreement with an organisation to make the PBR for Sancoale village. During a presentation, the resource person highlighted about how we can conserve and protect our rich village biodiversity,” said Jha.
“Since Sancoale is the only breeding ground for windowpane oysters in Asia, we questioned as to why the Sancoale Bay was not yet protected. They replied that efforts were underway and the notification has not yet been granted.”
“We unanimously resolved to get the Sancoale Bay protected and apprise the government about the importance to protect the bay and get it notified and declared as a Biodiversity heritage hotspot,” Jha added.
Speaking to the media, Sancoale Sarpanch Girish Pillai said the Panchayat was willing to provide additional fund, if required, to SVBMC to strengthen its efforts to declare Sancoale bay as a biodiversity heritage hotspot.
“Today, I believe that the SVBMC gets about Rs 1 lakh as funds to file the PBR. But in case the PBR has to be filed in a better manner, the fund may not be enough. They may require aerial support to map the area and may require technology like drones and other facilities and this could be costly.”
“We have readily come in support to offer and extend any kind of financial support to the SVBMC, if required. We are willing to go an extra mile to protect our village,” said Pillai.
