Divar villagers reject Mangrove plantation project in Khazans

United Divarkars foiled bid to transform Khazan land under Pilot Project on Mangrove restoration
The villagers of Divar and in a special way the farming community were triggered by the Notice of Site Inspection issued by the Department of Environment & Climate Change (DE&CC), Government of Goa for August 28, 2024. The parties who were served the notice included the FORREST (Forest Regeneration & amp; Environmental Sustainability Trust), a Pune based NGO, The Secretary of Village Panchayat, Navelim, Tiswadi, The Administrator of Communidades, Central Zone, Panaji, The Executive Engineer, Water Resources Department (WRD), Mangroves Society of India, Goa Chapter, The Member-Secretary, Goa Biodiversity Board, Dr. Sushant Naik, Expert Member GCZMA, Margao, Attorney of Communidade of Malar, Divar and Miss Bhargavi Kelkar and Mr. Sakhil Naik of DE&CC.

The interested villagers gathered momentum through social media at a short notice of less than 24 hours. Farmers residing across the island who has agricultural land
holdings in Divar also made their presence felt.

When questions were posed to the officials of DE&CC during the site inspection conducted recently as to why the Secretary of Navelim
Panchayat was intimated and not the Sarpanch, so also the Attorney of Malar Communidade who has no jurisdiction in Navelim, and why the land owners were kept in the dark about this project, no answers were forthcoming from DE&CC.

The DE&CC also informed the villagers that the FORREST applied to their department to take up the Pilot Project for Mangrove restoration. When further questioned whether they have accepted their proposal, a member of the FORREST replied that it is
only in the nascent stage and that nothing has been approved as yet.

The villagers further grilled the inspection party about their intent to Mangrove restoration instead of getting rid of the menace of mangroves that is threatening their fertile Khazan lands thereby depriving them of bringing their agricultural lands under cultivation. Khazan land are reclaimed lands from the river for agriculture purposes several centuries ago with specialized community skills and collective expertise.

The villagers brought to the notice of the inspection party that no land in the whole of Divar is earmarked for Mangroves as can be verified from the old Survey Plans of the respective Communidades from the island and that mangroves existed only along river banks along the outer boundary of the island which acted as enforcement for the protection of bunds from soil erosion and prevent breaches in bunds. The mangroves that we see in the fields today is the fallout of ignorance, mismanagement and negligence on the part of the concerned Government agencies.

The FORREST officials tried to hoodwink the villagers that the land proposed by them for Mangrove restoration in actuality is across the road and not the Survey Numbers as mentioned in the Notice of Site Inspection. One of the farmer retorted saying even those lands are coming under khazan.

The Hon’ble MLA, Mr. Rajesh Faldessai who rushed to the site informed the inspection party not to interfere with the Khazan lands of Divar in the future and further assured the villagers that he would seek an appointment with the Chief Minister and Revenue Minister alongwith the villagers for a lasting solution towards the restoration of the Khazan lands of Divar.

Project proposal submitted to the Department of Environment, Government of Goa has pictures of paddy fields that were dried up under the directions of Goa Bench of Bombay High Court as a part of reclamation process for paddy cultivation near Divar-Old Goa Ferry crossings. While proposed Pilot Project for Mangrove cultivation are paddy fields near Divar-Ribandar ferry point. In both the instances paddy fields that are eyed for take over of transition from Paddy fields to Mangroves with community participation. Irony of the entire FORREST project is that it has planned without people thereby making mockery of premises of local people's participation proposed in the project.

The experience of this experiment has been bitter and disappointing precisely because they haven't cared to learn ecological history of Divar Island harvesting conflict.

It is indeed great that awakening has set on the island of Divar. We hope that the torch of awakening will spread to neighboring island of Vanxim and in Malar wherein few people are determined to destroy Vanxim by allowing themselves to be used as mouthpiece for bridge to Vanxim. It's first step to uproot houses in Vanxim by corporate predators like Ozone group. May people in Malar and Vanxim be inspired by heroic defence of paddy fields from the clutches of FORREST.

Should paddy fields be deliberately conversted into Mangrove Forest

Should paddy fields be deliberately converted into Mangrove forest?

Latest developments on Divar Island compels us all to ask this question.

15 acres of paddy fields within the Jurisdiction of Goltim-Navelim panchayat are sought by Pune based NGO known as FORREST. Sight inspection is fixed for 28 August 2024.

Those with legal entitlement to the land survey numbers mentioned in Panchayat notice hasn't even been consulted at all on the matter. Yet Panchayat felt it fit to issue notice of site inpection dated 09 August 2024 for verification on 28 August 2024 at 11.00 am.

If Panchayat and FORREST has their way to plant Mangroves in paddy fields then it would lead to dramatic legal as well as ecological changes. Legally Jurisdiction of the paddy fields will be shiring from revenue department to forest department. That will be the begining of pressure on people to evict - though gradually. Mangroves in paddy fields covering 15 acres will also create food security issues. The wisdom of the local Panchayat even to consider application from FORREST needs to be examined. Why is it the case that Panchayat headed never considered revival of paddy fields for rice plantation? 

Conservation as is seen from development in Goltim - Navelim is taking the form of green colonialism and urgent anti-colonial steps are needed. If steps are not initiated on time then pressure on Island people will increase. Life under forest regime in India is life of enslavement and it must be rejected lock, stock and barrel.

It's FORREST in Divar Island, it's Third eye vision in St. Estevam, It's Bridge to facilitate luxury tourism in Vanxim, all the islands in Mandovi are being chewed up. It's time now for all the island people to forge joint action and plan of understanding to launch movement to reclaim all the islands from all the preying vested interests.

Goa CM and Cumbharjua MLA on bonderam day has already blown trumpet. It is for us islanders and those who love the islands in Mandovi to pick up the signals and play our cards to foil clandastine corporate takeover plans.

Let's remember yet again Goa was Annexed through conquest in 1961 and what we witness currently is the fruit of that Soviet Union arrogance through veto power of 18 December 1961 at UN Security Council. 

Our islands would have never been in these vulnerable state if we had to experience genuine liberation. We are slowly brainwashed to believe conquest as liberation. Time to act is knocking our doors. Assembly of people with grossly doubtful integrity are enacting the laws to legalize land loot of varied diversity promoting rapidly the situation of oppression and injustice against people of Goa.

We need to make our choices pretty quickly for time waits for none. Preparation is better than regret. 

Let's act now to defend paddy fields from being hijacked into Mangroves with Goltim-Navelim Panchayat as efficient conduit of eco-colonialism.

Currently there is strong movement to do away with Mangroves inside paddy fields and reclaim the space for paddy cultivation. Rightful place of Mangroves is on the river banks, no one objects. And these Mangroves are hacked by another corporate engaging in water sports tourism known as Champion's Island of infamous and Panchayat's role here us under scanner. Invasion of rice fields must be preserved as such without getting Mangroves to mess up.

Bamon Mahendra Gaunekar (Ozone Corporate) bulldozed in Vanxim

Ilha de Vanxim Association appreciates written statements of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar with regard to State policy on river bank land, mangroves land and agricultural land. Goa Chief Minister in a written letter dated 16^th April 2014 addressed to the then Indian Minister of Environment and Forest Dr.M.Veerappa Moily has made three decisive statements that are directly applicable to safety of Vanxim island. The three statements are as follows:

1.     “The State is blessed with seven rivers and covers length of 253 kms. Approximately. The state is committed to conserve its natural heritage by regulating development around the rivers; and hence has subjected the areas around rivers under the Coastal Zone Regulation with No development Zone’s of 100 meters from the bank of the rivers on all sides; thereby imposing serious land use restriction.” Vanxim is located right in the middle of Mandovi river and if measured 100 meters from the banks of Mandovi river eliminates any chance of construction of Spa, Golf Course, five star hotel by Bamon Mahendra Gaunekar and his allies at ozone corporate. Ilha de Vanxim Association welcomes this decision of the Chief Minister. Such construction plans are being circulated in written form in Vanxim.

2.     “The State’s Coastal areas are full of Mangroves and khazan land and development around mangroves and on khazan land is banned by the State Government as voluntary measure to protect the ecological heritage of the State and to maintain ecological balance in the State.” Vanxim too is full of mangroves. Gaunekar tried to cut some of the mangroves and for this he needs to be arrested, trial be conducted and imprisoned. Ilha de Vanxim Association welcomes this decision of the Goa government too.

3.     “Also 40 % of the land is under agriculture which the government has decided not to be diverted.” Huge track of land of Vanxim island is under agriculture that is currently obstructed due to vested interests at agriculture department and people like Narayan Bhonsle of Tentant Association colluding with each other and with Mahendra Gaunekar for mutual destruction of agriculture of Vanxim island. Mahendra Gaunekar has filed nearly 70 court cases against the tenants and paid huge amount of cash to discourage them from holding on to their paddy fields and instead soliciting false negative declarations that they have never cultivated these paddy fields! Archbishop of Goa sold these paddy fields to Mahendra Gaunekar for Rs.6/- per square meter with huge cash in black. Perhaps this has been one of the most likely subjects of Archbishop’s below-the-radar discussion with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 14^th June 2014. Ilha de Vanxim Association supports this decision of the Chief minister and agricultural land in Vanxim too should not be diverted. Its survey number 8 too must not be diverted for settlement purpose as it is paddy field. Those responsible for lobbying and changing land use pattern of survey number 8 in regional plan must be immediately arrested, put on trial and imprisoned. Chief culprit here is Mahendra Gaunekar. Immediately State government must get its act together and with Tarun Tejpal arrest speed also put Mahendra Gaunekar behind the bars. Mahendra Gaunekar must also be tried and prosecuted for paying large amount of cash to tenants in order to lure them to abandon cultivation and repairs of bunds thereby causing flood of paddy fields. This is absolutely criminal and Mahendra Gaunekar must be immediately taken into custody. In this way agriculture in Vanxim must be revived and people educated and encouraged to cultivate paddy for this is what sustains life. 

As Goa Chief Minister has put these points in the form of written letter this goes as legally valid and that needs to be honored by him and for his very integrity.

Sincerely,

Sd/-

(Maggie Silveira)

President

Ilha de Vanxim Association