Field to give way to playground at Colva; locals see red A proposal for a multipurpose playground in a low-lying field in the heart of Colva is worrying some villagers, as burying even a part of the age-old ecological asset spells doom for the area. The villagers had protested after the land acquisition process commenced almost a decade ago. Now, reports about the file being pushed onto the higher rungs of administration has again raised concerns. The ambitious project, which offers sports amenities to Colva and adjoining villages, is under wraps. But villagers allege that reclaiming even 31,475sq m of the village lifeline will be an environmental disaster. The almost J-shaped agricultural land slopes gently in the north-south and westward direction towards the beach, carrying run-offs into the creek. The recharge of the ground water table in the balancing reservoir keeps the surrounding vegetation green, villagers said. Residents in the north-eastern first ward, Colva, opposed the proposed land filling. "Blocking the flow will destroy some of our mud houses during the rains," a resident stated. "The wells and grassy patches will dry up and our cattle will suffer," a farmer added. Agreed Judith Almeida, secretary of the Colva civic and consumer forum (CCCF). "It is a green lung of an over-concretized village and also its kidney as it purifies the flow of sewage from the highly urbanized surroundings," she said. Calvert Gonsalves, a panch member dismissed the opposition as being unfairly motivated. "The CCCF has been opposing everything the panchayat does and it appears, for vested interests," Gonsalves alleged. The proposal is crucial for a few important reasons. "There is no alternative land and only a small part will be used for pana chayat ghar and playground. Also, parking problem for the annual Colva fama will be solved," Gonsalves added. Ecological concerns have been assessed for a suitable solution. "Huge drains will take care of the drainage requirements of the catchment area," said Gonsalves said. But others consider long-term consequences. "This is an important drain for a larger surrounding area. Residents close to it will suffer while water harvesting and ecological benefits will be lost," Shakuntala Mesquita, an activist, said.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 05:25:15 +0000
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