,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Governor Visits Salmona Spring In Saligao. Saligao. 18th May 2005. Press Report ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Accepting the invitation of the Salmona Pariyavaran Manch, Saligao Civic & Consumer Cell, Nisarga Nature Club and the Saligao Communidade, the Governor of Goa, S C Jamir visited the world famous Salmona Spring in Saligao, on 18th May 2005. The purpose of the visit was to see first hand the destruction being carried out by local builder Arjun Harmalkar with the three storey building he is constructing in this most fragile of ecological enclaves in the village. The Governor was accompanied by various government officials connected with this now infamous case of environmental degradation. Among those present were the Governor's legal advisor, Carlos Alvares Fereira, his Personal Secretary R Raghuraman, his aide-de-camp Manish Sharma and his office secretary Ms. de Sa. The Collector of Goa, Deputy Conservator of Forests, BDO Mapusa, and Saligao Panchayat members were also at the site. The Governor was welcomed by local MLA Dr. Wilfred D'Souza, Brigadier (Retd.) Ian D'Costa and local citizens. Villagers explained to the Governor the four main reasons - among others - why the Saligao Panchayat should never have given permission to the controversial structure in the heart of what is a moist-deciduous forest and Goa's most famous bird sanctuary. The first reason was that the Range Forest Officer had in 2002 prohibited the Panchayat from permitting any construction within a 100 metres of the Salmona Spring. The second was that the Gram Sabha had in February 2003, passed a resolution to maintain the site as a Conservation Zone and world-famous Bird Sanctuary that it had become. This was in order to preserve the unique and fragile ecological balance of coolness provided by the thickly wooded slopes, humidity due to the perennial spring and the rich bio-diversity of flora and fauna of this moist-deciduous forest. The third reason was the letter from the Saligao Panchayat to the Dy. Collector in Mapusa asking him to revoke the Conversion Sanad he had granted to the builder in July 2004. In this letter the Sarpanch pointedly asked the Dy. Collector to revoke the Conversion Sanad based on the above two documents and several memoranda from local and all-Goa NGOs. That letter also pointed out that the then Chief Minister, Forest Minister, local MLA, Chief Conservator of Forests and other officials had opposed any development at the Salmona Spring in view of it being declared a Private Forest in the near future. The fourth reason had to do with stopping the construction work immediately. The Director of Tourism had written to the Saligao Panchayat and various government departments to immediately stop the work as at the moment, proceedings are on to acquire the entire area to preserve it as a conservation zone. The Governor and other officials heard the villagers, promised to give a more detailed hearing to all concerned and take a decision in accordance with the law. In a meeting after the visit, the villagers have decided to stage another peaceful dharna at the Salmona Spring on Saturday, 21st May morning, if no positive decision is taken by the government by Friday, 20th May evening. The villagers however are hopeful that the land will be acquired shortly and the wanton destruction going on at the moment will be immediately stopped. They have new hope that their dream of preserving the Salmona Spring as a Conservation Zone and official Bird Sanctuary will come true, very soon. (Report ends.) -- .................................................... muriel & mario, 4/4 tabravaddo, opp. st. anne's chapel, saligao. bardez. goa. 403511. tel: 0832-2278276 / 2409999 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''