the goan I network
MARGAO
A year has elapsed since work on the desilting of River Sal and trimming of mangroves was completed by the Captain of Ports, but there’s still no sign of mangroves being replanted along the river bank till date.
A visit to the River Sal at the Sinquetim-Navelim point revealed that mangroves still bear the testimony how the authorities had cleared the vegetation along the river banks during the desilting work. In fact, when the desilting cum trimming of mangroves project was inaugurated at the hands of then Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, the people were told that the agencies will replant mangroves all along the river bank. Work on the trimming of mangroves was included in the project cost since inspection of the river had revealed that many trees had protruded into the river course, blocking the smooth flow of water, but on a condition that the mangroves will be replanted.
When The Goan called up the Captain of Ports, James Braganza to shed light on the replanting of the mangroves, he said the work falls in the domain of the Forest department. “I do not think that the responsibility lies with the Captain of Ports to replant the mangroves. The Forest department is the right agency which handles such matters. I remember that the Forest department had planted mangroves along the Mandovi river banks a couple of years ago,” Capt Braganza said.
He, however, promised to look into the matter, while admitting that replantation of the mangroves ought to have been taken up by now, since it’s a year when work on desilting and trimming of branches was completed by the department.
Deputy Conservator of Forest, South Shetgaonkar told The Goan that he would find out from the records which agency is responsible for the replantation of the mangroves. “I will have to check out from the file the agency responsible for replanting the mangroves. Normally, the agency is identified at the time of issuing NOC. I will check from the office records,” Shetgaonkar added.
Former minister Avertano Furtado said only mangroves, which protruded into the River Sal course were trimmed and not cut down. “May be a few mangroves faced the axe in the process, but I do not think major trees were hacked during the operation,” Avertano said, adding that he would check with the Forest department on the matter.
Social activist from Navelim, Sidharth Karapurkar said the authorities should replant mangroves along the river banks at the earliest. “Mangroves are protected tree species and all efforts should be made to plant them along the river bank. I also have suspicion whether the desilting work was carried out properly. I think the authorities should descend at the River Sal bank and take stock of the situation,” Karapurkar said.
