This matter is related to Goa's ecological destiny. You don't see Pyramids in Goa because they were built in a different manner-horizontally. The first impact of sea level rise in Goa would be the erosion of Khazan bundhs. This is massive geoengineering work-end to end the bundhs run 2000+ Kms. and this feat is equivalent to building several Pyramids. For example the outer 12 kms long bundh along Cumbarjua canal which runs from Agacaim to Corlim. Four metres wide and six metres high it needed mud worth half million cubic metres. All this was done manually by several Gaunkaris over decades. The rising sea and higher tides would submerge 7-8000 ha. land and displace 100 thousand people from 40-50 villages. The solution is legislative-better management mechanism on participative, cooperative basis.The Gaunkaris could do it for past 2000 years. After agitating since 1988 over the issue, courting arrest, going to jail, fighting a PIL (WP, 319/88) in court by arguing in person, campaigning on public platforms and through media (several articles were written in Konkani, Marathi and English) and helping raise the issue since 1995 in the assembly through starred and unstarred assembly questions and private members' resolution, the last option was to seek a durable legislative solution. That advocacy led to a draft bill. It doesn't matter how long it takes (political parties are hesitant to take stand on the bill) , Pressure would be mounted on the government consistently to get this bill discussed and passed and end the rule of Goa's politically well connected notorious illegal Khazan land pisciculture mafia (annual turnover Rs. 25 crores) whom people are afraid to confront.
Read this mail with reference to my previous posting http://lists.goanet.org/htdig.cgi/goanet-goanet.org/2010-January/188615.htmlcaptioned-"; Struggle is not yet over-the battle to save Goa’s Khazans and Salt pans--reminiscing 19 years after the highcourt judgment and for further information read my paper Please read my paper on this issue- http://www.scribd.com/doc/17712347/Ecology-and-Political-Economy-of-Khazan-Lands-of-Goa ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dr.Nandkumar Kamat <[email protected]> Date: Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 9:00 AM Subject: Please introduce the bill on Khazan land management (draft enclosed) To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Cc: [email protected] To, The Hon. CM, There is a total mess in 17000 hectares of Khazan lands spread in 8 talukas managed by 140 tenants associations.On one side government is spending crores of ruppees on repair of bundhs and on the other side the associations are minting money by auctioning the fields for pisciculture. With global warming and sea level rise most of the khazan bundhs would break thus flooding massive low lying areas. The present system would not be able to control the damage. There are similar lands in Konkan-known as Khar lands. In 1948 the new Maharashtra government brought Bombay khar land act. it was revised in 1978. Maharashtra has a Khar land development board since 1948. It executes all the works. But after tenancy act was brought in Goa, the government transfered the job to ill equipped tenant associations. I am enclosing copy of the bill on Khazan lands which a committee headed by ex secretary, law Mr. Subbanna, myself, Dr. Ligia Noronha and Mr. sanjit Rodrigues had prepared in 1999-2000.it was meant to be introduced in 2002 but the assembly was dissolved. Mr. Parrikar despite several reminders could not introduce it. The Khazan lands are ecologically fragile. We'd given a detail report to revenue department in 1992-known as Agricultural land development panel report then headed by former revenue minister Mr. Shankar Salgaonkar. It was edited by me and Dr. N.P.S. Varde as members of the panel appointed in November 1990. As an expert on Khazan lands in Goa, I appeal you to adopt this bill, introduce it in the assembly, and form Goa Khazan land development board.it would help to restore 17,000 ha. of Khazan land, save about 100, 000 jobs and increase farm income by 50-100 crore Rs. besides controlling soil erosion, water pollution etc. The bill may be opposed by all those who're involved in corrupt practices-like auctioning the manos but as the CM you must take this radical step which would be welcomed by common people and NGOS. nandkumar -- Dr. Nandkumar Kamat, GOA
