Goa has several examples of traditions that have promoted conservation of environment and living in harmony with nature through the ages. Temple tanks, springs and sacred groves are three such examples which have proven to be a boon for the environment and which have stood the test of time. Temple tanks have not only quenched human thirst but also helped preserve the surrounding ecology by regulating temperatures and supporting vegetation. During times of water shortage and famine, fields were also irrigated using water stored in these tanks. Let us not forget that the forests were also huge repositories of biodiversity which nurtured and nourished the environment and humans, but they are being degraded / cleared at an alarming rate by unscrupulous builders and land sharks in cahoots with the sarkari babus . Moreover compensatory afforestation is a concept alien to the State which could have atleast held out some hope for rejuvenation of these green areas. In this context the government's recent efforts to restore / conserve mangroves is laudable but the same concern should be extended to tanks, natural springs and wooded areas for that would be a true celebration of World Environment Day.
