Fields near the Saipem lake which were once barren, are all set to regain greenery as paddy transplantation will be reportedly carried out today. It is understood that the Navelim village development committee along with the village biodiversity management committee has taken the initiative to revive the fields through community farming despite facing a host of problems including discharge of untreated sewage into the drains adjacent to the fields. The fields are being revived after over three decades.
Students from various schools in Navelim are reportedly being invited to witness the historic moment. Bit by bit, plot by plot, Goa is losing its fields, hills and forests in the name of development. No-development and eco-sensitive zones are being converted to carry out construction activity. Agricultural land and green cover are giving way to farmhouses and the realty sector.
It must be said that the best way, or probably the only way, for farmers to protect their agricultural land from the clutches of the government or the land sharks is to till the land.
