AMIT POKRE
PANAJI
Goa’s Environment Ministry has mapped ‘ecologically sensitive areas’ on the periphery of the State’s wildlife sanctuaries which are nearly half in area in comparison to what was demarcated by the Kasturirangan Committee report.
The list has been dispatched along with A4 size maps to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
This new list, which ‘The Goan’ has exclusive access to, has only about half the aggregate area listed by the Kasturirangan Committee.
The new list consists of survey areas of 69 villages and covers an aggregate area of around 707 square kilometres.
Earlier, the Kasturirangan Committee’s list included 99 villages and aggregated around 1,461 square kilometres.
The government is also in the process of identifying residential, agricultural and horticultural areas within the wildlife sanctuaries and the process is likely to be completed within the next one or two weeks.
The maps have been provided by the forest department. If the ESA is implemented according to this listing there will be a complete ban on mining, quarrying, sand mining, thermal power projects, red-category industries such as chemicals, paper, and pulp among others, besides new buildings and expansion projects with a built-up area of more than 20,000 square metres.
Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary (Sattari) villages which are in the list are Gulle (Gullulem), Pali ( Pale) Singna (Sigonem), Salpi Budruk (Xelop Buzruco), Jarma (Zarme), Naneli, Maloli, Koparde (Compardem), Karambali Bramha (Carambolim Bramha), Sirsode, Karanzol (Caranzol), Aassode (Assodem), Gavane, Surla, Satre (Satorem), Goali (Golauli), Charavade, Ivre Khurd (Ivrem Curdo), Ivre Budruk, Kelavade (Quelavadem), Kodal (Codal), Derode, Vayangani, Nanode (Nanorem), Zarani, Kodal (Codval), Penral (Pendral).
In Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary (Canacona) the villages of Cotigao and Poingunim are in the list.
In Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, (Sanguem) the villages of Surla (Sanguem), Aalot (Aglote), Darbandora, Shigaon (Shigao), Dudal, Salavli (Salauli), Kurdi (Curdi), Naiquinim, Nune (Nundem), Molen (Mollem), Karanjhol, Kolem (Calem), Colem (Collem), Sonauli, Boma, Oxel (Odxel), Dongurli and Malingem (Maulinguem) are listed.
Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary of Sanguem has Patiem, Uguem, Tadav, Potrem, Vilyan, Dongar, Portem, Netravali, Verlen, Bati, Kumbari and Sigonem listed as ecologically-sensitive areas.
There are 10 villages in the wildlife sanctuaries which were not in the earlier draft notification of MOEF but have now been included in the new list. These are: Dongurli, Sironguli, Dabem I and Dabem II in Sattari taluka which fall in the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.
Cormonem (Sanguem) in Bhagawan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, Mangal (Quepem) in Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary and four villages surrounding Bondla zoo which are Conquerim (Sattari), Gangem (Ponda), Piliem (Dharbandora) and Usgao (Dharbandora) are the other villages which were earlier not listed but have now been identified as eco-sensitive in the new list.
