-------------------------------------------------------- Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your family members, relatives, neighbours and friends. Help others be BETTER INFORMED Remember April 22nd is Earth Day - time to act !! ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre (GDRC) Email: goad...@bsnl.in ------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------- The Ecological Tragedy of River Sal - Part III -----------------------------------------------------
by NANDKUMAR KAMAT Sal River has been an economic lifeline of Salcete taluka and the hinterland. It was part of an ancient inter-modular transportation network, which traded various commodities. The Arabs were familiar with navigation in Sal River. Betul, Velim, Assolna were important minor ports on the river. The Velim peninsular area was specially carved out to develop an all weather port in Kotubandh-Karxet area. Archaeological excavations in Kotubandh to Babsar- Pokliwada-Betul region would reveal artefacts from Satavahana period. The elusive Southern Konkan Shilahara capital port city built by King Dhammiara could be identified with Velim peninsula. Topographical changes might have erased the signs of ancient port but Velim peninsula is Sal River's archaeological heritage. Cuncolim and Balli were main caravan camping and commodity trading centres. From the South-Western coast of Goa, transportation through Sal River offered easiest access via the port of Assolna to Deccan markets in the Supa-Sirsi region. Sal River always had the same potential as canal network of Venice and Bangkok. But Bangkok won the title of 'Venice of the East'. The basic reasons for neglect of Sal River could be traced to certain developments after the liberation. The union territory administration did not critically examine the navigation system laid down by the Portuguese regime. The Portuguese respected and utilised the potential of inland waterways. Their launch/steamer services were linking major parts and minor ports of Goa. After liberation the government strengthened the road transport lobby which scuttled any moves to develop centrally sponsored inter-modular transport system for efficient handling of growing passenger and goods traffic. The government focused on Mandovi and Zuari inland waterways. The potential of Sal River and minor ports of Betul, Velim, Assolna was forgotten. Another mistake was extension of jurisdiction of Marmagoa Port Trust (MPT), which claimed development rights over Betul port area. Betul is the key to tap the economic potential of Sal River. But the jurisdictional conflict between a central government undertaking like MPT and the state government over Betul port area resulted in stagnation of all planned developmental activities. After the state government abolished the old 'bhous' system of voluntary and cooperative management of Khazan bundhs and transferred the duties to newly formed tenants associations under the Agricultural Tenancy Act, 1964, the real tragedy of the massive external embankments protecting the Khazan lands on the eastern banks of Sal River began. The ancient system of maintenance and repair of the bundhs was replaced by a centralised, taluka mamlatdar supervised corrupt system of auctions, tenders, subsidies. Once Soil conservation division of agriculture department notified a protective bundh, the local tenants conveniently forgot their own responsibilities. Slowly the tenants associations were taken over by pro-pisciculture members. >From 1980, there were regular breaches in Khazan embankments along the Sal River. A new class of politically well-connected pisciculturists could see grand opportunities in the unfolding agrarian tragedy. They encouraged intentional damages to the sensitive sluice gates, flooding of the fertile Khazan paddy fields and liberally utilised the saltpans for year- long pisciculture. The Supreme Court directives on pisciculture were conveniently brushed aside. The rich silt of Sal River used to enrich the Khazan lands. People could take three crops per year in areas of reduced salinity endowed with micro-irrigation facilities. Today instead of agro-horticulture and salt production, pisciculture is seen as a lucrative trade in most of this region. But it benefits only a few people. Thousands of farmers, toddy tappers and salt producers have lost their traditional livelihood because agriculture and coconut cultivation have become risky ventures in Khazan belt on the Eastern bank of Sal River. As a member of the official government panel on agricultural land, I could see the harsh reality when our panel toured the Khazan areas between Varca to Chinchinim during 1991-2. Farmers, salt producers and toddy tappers had come forward with their grievances. The pro-farmer, welfare oriented, ecologically sound detail recommendations of our panel made in its' report in March 1992 were not implemented by any of the government ruling Goa during past 17 years. This is one of the major reasons for the collapse of the sustainable economic enterprises in the Sal River basin. We had foreseen the possibility of flooding in low-lying areas on Eastern banks of Sal River. Since 1999, two wards of Ambelim village 'pedda' and 'bandar' experienced flooding. The flooding was on account of obstruction of normal drainage system, stagnation of water, encroachments on the Khazan bundhs and non-operation of the sluice gates at Kotubandh/Cutbona area. Today Velim still faces the possibility of flooding. The sediment budget of Sal River has changed since 1980s. The surface development in the river basin increased the sediment flow. Farmers stopped removal of the organic silt to strengthen the bundhs. The internal creeks were not maintained. This led to choking of the Sal River mouth near Betul. Here the river appears like a lagoon- about 750-800 metres wide. After many years the NIO was commissioned to undertake a study of siltation and sedimentation. The local fishermen who depended on the shellfish exploitation were worried about removal of the sediment. A new conflict began to develop - on the issue of dredging of the mouth of Sal River. Rivers are dredged all over the world to restore the natural water flow and permit navigation. The future of smooth tidal flow in Sal River depends on control of its' sediment budget. If the mouth of the estuary gets choked up it would cause a massive bottleneck. The upstream areas of the river would then experience flooding. Besides, the reduced oxygenation of the river between Betul to Khareband would cause stagnation and stink. Exotic aquatic weeds like salvinia are already depleting the oxygen content of Sal River between Khareband to Varca. But people who're sensitive to perceived dangers from a casino floating in Sal River are not equally sensitive to severe ongoing manmade pollution. The anthropogenic, point and non-point sources of pollution are well known to villagers on both the banks of the river. But the local gram sabhas are not prepared to discuss such issues with necessary priority. Sal River has limited carrying capacity to bear the biological and chemical pollution load. Heavy silting would reduce its' tidal circulation. Reduced salinity would encourage vast surface carpets of invasive aquatic weeds like salvinia, pistchia and water hyacinth. These weeds don?t proliferate in saline areas. So they are excellent indicators of Sal River's tidal and salinity regime. Sal River needs a basin level, integrated ecological restoration plan with the participation of all the stakeholders. But the local people on its' banks need to come forward voluntarily with a spiritual vision to restore their ancient lifeline as new 'Venice of the east' (to be continued). -------------------------------------- The Navhind Times 20/4/09 page 10 -------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK ----------------------------------------------------------- promoting civic and consumer rights in Goa ----------------------------------------------------------- GOACAN Post Box 187 Margao, Goa 403 601 GOACAN Post Box 78 Mapusa, Goa 403 507 mailto: goa...@bsnl.in ----------------------------------------------------------