MARGAO
The proposed construction of the Rs 15 crore Maina-Curtorim police station building at Sonsodo has run into rough weather with local residents of Raia up in arms over the large scale felling of what they termed as forest trees and objected to the construction project on the ecologically sensitive forest land.
Agitated residents assembled at the site on Tuesday to strongly condemn the felling of forest trees at Sonsodo in survey no 196/1. They claimed that construction admeasuring an area of 9,000 sq metres is proposed at the hill possibly for Maina-Curtorim Police Station, or other purposes. They also slammed the authorities for fraudulently showing a large part of this forested hill as settlement zone in RP 2021.
“The land is the slope of Sonsodo hill and is the primary recharge area and the main and basic resource for our water. The main nullah starts from this land and continues downhill through our agricultural lands and dense settlements below. Our wells, springs, ponds, paddy fields, orchards, and our very survival are dependent on this hill and its water resources,” informed Raia resident Jose Xavier Fernandes.
He added: “The Sonsodo hill is a forested hill that must be protected not only as a forest, but also because it is a vital corridor connecting the forests of Curtorim and beyond with the forests of Raia, Nuvem, Verna, Loutulim, etc, right up to Mormugao. This hill is already under severe assault from garbage dump and indiscriminate constructions. The implications of this destruction of a most critical wildlife and biodiversity corridor are unthinkable for the environment and economies of the villages of Salcete and Mormugao talukas along the hill range.”
Saying the villagers of Raia had successfully defended the hill and water resources from destructive projects in the past, the villagers vowed to continue performing their duty to defend and save the environment and the future generations. Though we are shocked to see so many forest trees felled, we hope that sense will prevail and the land will not be destroyed, but allowed to regain their original forestry nature, informed a woman.
The villagers pleaded with the concerned authorities to abandon any proposals to construct on this land, and to select any other suitable site instead, since this land is highly eco-sensitive, and its conservation is critical for the survival of local residents and the future generations.
Social activist Zarina da Cunha extended her support to the agitation launched by the residents of Raia to protect the Sonsodo hill. “The government is on the move to grab the land of the common man. They are not bothered about the bio-diversity of the area and its environment. They do not deem proper to consult or take the local residents into confidence before going about the land acquisition,” she said.
Questioning the rationale behind felling around 200-250 trees on the Sonsodo hill, Zarina said the government has no alternate place to replant the trees, warning that hills sans tree cover will be prone for Wayanad type disasters.
