***************************************************************** Documented by Goa Desc Documentation Service & circulated by Goa Civic & Consumer Action Network (GOA CAN)<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ***************************************************************** ------------------------------------------------------ PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT -------------------------------------------------------
THIS has reference to the proposed sports city in the open stretch between Santa Cruz and Panaji. The site proposed for the purpose is located adjoining the four pillars, popularly known as Char Khambe which are half way on the road to Santa Cruz. Physically, the site acts as a buffer between the hectic urban environment of Panaji and the serene village environs of Santa Cruz. The place, a part of the unique Goan landscape, is very fragile and irreplaceable in nature and any thoughtless human intervention can cause drastic and irreparable consequential damage in the long run. The site is a low-lying tidal flood plain and is part of the natural drainage pattern during the rains on account of the surrounding topography. The marshy wetland is a host to mangrove vegetation which plays a definite role in the maintenance of vital ecological balance. The place is also a popular habitat to a wide variety of local and migratory birds and is a bird-watcher's delight. It is quite common to find researchers and bird lovers from distant countries here, with their cameras trained. This place finds mention on the Internet along with the Karmali lake, Chorao, Mayem lake and others in Goa. The proposed sports city spread over an area of about 2.75 lakh square metres is supposed to house a multipurpose stadium and other facilities for indoor and outdoor games, parking plaza, club house, and so on. An activity of this scale would require the level of the area to be raised with mud filling and would disrupt the delicate environmental balance. With the natural tidal basin disrupted, water will be fed elsewhere along the river bank rendering other rich areas useless. A disruption in the natural drainage pattern will cause flooding during the rains in nearby settlements of Panaji, Santa Cruz and Merces. Furthermore, to raise the level by approximately 1.5 metre, almost 4,00,000 cubic metre of mud, which is about 80,000 truck loads, would be needed. This would obviously be met by cutting of hills leading to destabilisation of slopes, landslides and environmental damage on another front. Over the centuries, the place has co-existed with the needs of the villagers nearby. The place has been utilised beneficially through a very intriguing, complex and intrinsic system of sluice-gates to control the entry and exit of water. For generations the place has supported traditional human activities like salt-pans, prawn-farming and paddy fields which provide means for self-employment and livelihood today. Retaining and strengthening these traditional economic bases is a basic step towards self-suffficiency and prosperity. Any new alternate employment would provide only a temporary compensation and will create dependency for livelihood in the long run. The need of the day is self-sufficiency which only time-tested means will provide. The drastic change of land use involved will be like opening floodgates. It will take no time for the entire green area from Santa Cruz to Taleigao and Merces to be converted into a concrete jungle. The rapid and uncontrolled urbanisation will alter the micro-climate and ruin the ambience of the villages which will eventually have further adverse environmental, social and economic consequences. Finally, is a sports facility of such massive proportions really required for Goa? We already have a number of facilities around which could well be revived and maintained with the financial resources involved in this proposed project. It would be worthwhile to provide proper training at the existing facilities at a cost much less than that involved in the said activity which certainly is an unwanted strain on the public exchequer in terms of its construction and maintenance in the long run. Last but not the least. For the villagers of Santa Cruz, the Char Khambe with its beautiful surroundings, traditional salt-pans and green fields have become an inseparable part of our lives forming our identity. This short-sighted and ambitious project with its ecologically irreversible consequences and catastrophic effects is not justifiable in the name of development and certainly not acceptable. RAJESH KENKRE, Santa Cruz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Listening Post THE NAVHIND TIMES 27/5/02 PAGE 8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================================= GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE Documentation + Education + Solidarity 11 Liberty Apts., Feira Alta, Mapusa, Goa 403 507 Tel: 252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Working On Issues Of Development & Democracy ======================================= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? 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