AGNELO PEREIRA
MAPUSA
The large-scale destruction of mangroves along the banks of the Moira river has once again exposed what environmentalists describe as a growing and systematic assault on Goa’s fragile khazan lands and agricultural fields, often carried out in plain sight while authorities either look the other way or act only after public complaints force their hand.
The latest controversy centres around a 2,900-square-metre parcel of land bearing Survey No. 33/1 in Moira, where extensive clearing of mangroves along the riverbank was recently discovered by environmental activists.
Records obtained from the Directorate of Settlement and Land Records reveal that the property is classified as a cultivable field and forms part of the traditional khazan ecosystem that has historically protected low-lying areas from flooding while supporting agriculture and fisheries.
The records indicate that the land was under cultivation between 1976 and 1980 and was cultivated by a tenant, Shivram Karekar, who is now deceased.
The same records show Mahesh Satelkar as the individual farmer with sole ownership rights listed under the category of caretaker, while ownership of the land itself remains vested in the Moira Comunidade.
The case came to light after members of the Goa Green Brigade, along with environmental activist Dr Nerissa Miranda and local residents, noticed widespread destruction of mangroves along the riverbank and lodged formal complaints with government authorities.
Following the complaint, the Forest Department conducted an inspection and registered a case against one individual. However, officials have refused to disclose the identity of the person booked.
“The investigation is ongoing. We have booked one person in the matter,” Forest Range Officer Mangaldas Devaskar told The Goan, declining to provide further details.
The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has also inspected the site and is preparing a report. However, officials associated with the inspection similarly refused to divulge details regarding their findings. Repeated calls to GCZMA Member Secretary Sachin Desai went unanswered.
The silence surrounding the case has only fuelled concerns among activists, who argue that environmental violations involving khazan lands rarely occur without the knowledge of local authorities and stakeholders.
Questions are also being raised about the role of the Moira Comunidade, the legal custodian of the land. Despite the destruction occurring on comunidade-owned property, there has been no public statement from the institution regarding the incident.
When contacted, Moira Comunidade Attorney Joaquim De Souza said only: “You can come to the comunidade office on Friday and we will speak.”
Attempts to contact caretaker Mahesh Satelkar, a local resident, elicited no response despite repeated calls and messages.
Environmentalists say the Moira incident is not an isolated case but part of a disturbing trend playing out across Goa, where agricultural lands, paddy fields, wetlands, khazan lands and mangrove ecosystems are increasingly being altered, reclaimed or degraded despite legal protections.
The Moira site is particularly significant because it lies within a riverine ecosystem connected to surrounding agricultural lands and settlements.
Goa Green Brigade Convenor Avertano Miranda alleged that such large-scale destruction could not have taken place without the knowledge of various authorities.
“The long, deafening silence of the Moira Comunidade on the mass butchering of mangroves on a 2,900-square-metre comunidade-owned land is palpable,” Miranda said.
“Without the connivance of the Moira Comunidade, the Moira Village Panchayat and other elected representatives, it is impossible to undertake such large-scale destruction of over 200-year-old mangroves not only on the comunidade-owned khazan land but also along the riverbank,” he alleged.
