Heritage sites in Goa: Curtorim to petition biodiversity board

Margao: A joint meeting of the Curtorim Panchayat and the Curtorim Bio-diversity Management Committee on Tuesday has unanimously resolved to request the State Biodiversity Board to include the village khazan lands and springs in the Curtorim biodiversity heritage sites.

The meeting chaired by Sarpanch Milagres Rodrigues, the village biodiversity management committee chairperson J Santan Rodrigues, Zilla panchayat member Michele Rebello and members adopted a resolution to request the State Biodiversity Board to include all the recommendations made by the biodiversity management committee for the biodiversity heritage sites, including the khazans and springs.

Sarpanch Milagres told the media after the meeting that it has been unanimously decided to request the State Biodiversity Board to include all the recommendations made by the village biodiversity panel in the Curtorim biodiversity heritage sites.

“We had made certain recommendations to the State Biodiversity Board after deliberations and discussions. But, we were surprised to note that the khazans and springs did not find a mention in the Curtorim biodiversity heritage sites,” the Sarpanch said.

He said the panchayat would send a letter to the State Biodiversity Board with the resolution adopted at the meeting.

J Santan Rodrigues said the meeting unanimously resolved to request the State Biodiversity Board to include all the recommendations in the biodiversity heritage sites.

“At the meeting, we have insisted that it is not enough to declare only the lakes and fields of biodiversity importance as heritage sites, but also to include the khazans and springs, besides important village landmarks in the plan,” Santan added.

The State Biodiversity Board had last month issued a notification, proposing to declare lakes and fields of biodiversity importance in Curtorim admeasuring an area of 6,11,757 square metres as biodiversity heritage sites.

Published on: Wednesday, June 15, 2022, 12:06 PM IST