Daijiworld Media Network (SR)

Panaji, Jun 14: In a special hearing held by the Goa State Wetland Authority on Wednesday, the villagers of Santa Cruz unanimously demanded that Bondvoll Lake should be declared as wetland. They also urged the authorities to set up a buffer zone around the lake to avoid contamination and unnecessary developmental activities in the region.

Bondvoll Lake which has been controlled by a private owner for several years, was earlier declared as a public utility project by governor general of Goa in 1908. The owner restricted villagers from using the lake, which is supposedly a village heritage.

“No land belonging to the community can have private ownership, the Supreme Court has said in a judgement. An order here passed by the mamlatdar in the lake matter is in contravention of this court order. Bondvoll lake helps neutralise the salinity in the lowlying field areas in the village and allows farmers to cultivate in the Bandh area. The interest of so many farmers cannot be overlooked for the benefit of one farmer,” said Antonio D’Souza of the village biodiversity management committee, as per TOI report.

Goa State Wetland Authority member Pradeep Sarmokadam said that the demand to declare Bondvoll lake a wetland will be kept for suggestions and objections online.

“The special hearing has been kept at 4pm on a working day, yet so many people have gathered here. This itself means that the villagers want the area to be declared a wetland. The Bondvoll lake even helps regulate the temperature in the village,” said villager Antonio Lourenco as reported in TOI.