THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
The Goa State Wetland Authority (GSWA) has initiated the process of physical delineation and ground verification of all 25 notified wetlands across the State in compliance with directives issued by the Supreme Court of India, amid growing concerns over ecological degradation of several wetlands in the State.
As part of the exercise, agencies and officials authorised by the GSWA will undertake field inspections, digital validation and related activities in areas falling within or adjoining notified wetlands to accurately identify and demarcate their boundaries.
The authority has appealed to landowners and other stakeholders whose properties are located within, adjacent to, or in the vicinity of notified wetlands to cooperate with officials during the verification process.
On December 11, 2024, the Supreme Court directed all State and Union Territory wetland authorities to complete ground truthing and demarcation of wetlands identified in the Space Applications Centre Atlas, 2021.
However, citing practical difficulties on the ground, including inaccessibility to certain areas, dense vegetation and the time required to complete boundary demarcation, the State government has sought an additional six months from the Supreme Court to complete the process.
Earlier this month, the State Cabinet approved digital validation, ground truthing, physical delineation and installation of demarcation stones for notified wetlands in Goa. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the Cabinet had sanctioned Rs 40 lakh to the GSWA to undertake the exercise.
The exercise assumes significance as nearly 64 per cent of Goa's 25 notified wetlands, including the internationally recognised Nanda Lake Ramsar site in Curchorem, are facing serious ecological threats.
As reported by The Goan, of the total 25 notified wetlands, 16 are under varying degrees of pressure from encroachment, pollution, siltation, aquaculture, mining, intensive agriculture and unsustainable resource extraction, with many suffering from multiple ecological threats. This is based on the assessment undertaken by the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
Apart from Nanda lake, wetlands under stress include Carambolim Lake (58 ha), threatened by encroachment, unregulated tourism pressure, siltation and mining-related activities; Batim Lake (26.55 ha), affected by hydrological alterations, siltation, pollution and resource extraction; and Bondvol Lake (8 ha), facing encroachment, mining, overgrazing and changes to natural water regimes.
While siltation has emerged as another widespread threat affecting most of Goa's wetlands, including Chimbel, Coneix, Cottambi, Dhasi, Durga, Pali, Pilerne, Sarzora, Sulabhat, Tarvalem and Xeldem lakes, Pollution from untreated waste, agricultural chemicals and urban runoff has further degraded these ecologically important wetlands.
