St Cruz locals seek review of Bondvol lake buffer area

Panaji: Construction activity near Bondvol lake of Santa Cruz — a century-old water body sustaining village agriculture and ecosystems — has triggered local discontent over alleged faulty zoning of the lake’s buffer area.

At a recent meeting, residents discussed concerns over the lake’s ecological safety. Giving govt a week’s deadline, villagers demanded a review of errors in the wetland’s boundary, buffer zone and zone of influence notified by the Goa State Wetland Authority (GSWA).

GSWA declared Bondvol lake a wetland in Oct 2022, notifying a 50-m buffer zone around the water body, which has an 874-hectare catchment. The Portuguese-era earthen dam is about 200 m long and 18 m high. Villagers said a Bombay HC–constituted task force had identified a 200-m protected status quo zone around the lake.

While GSWA said the zone of influence was fixed as per Wetland Rules, 2017, residents argued for a case-by-case approach. “The zone of influence declared by GSWA is not properly defined and marking only water drains will not help protect the lake’s ecology,” said Arturo D’Souza of Bondvol survival group.

A PIL filed by D’Souza sought conservation of the lake, following which HC directed GSWA to examine representations for corrections. Villagers also protested tree cutting in the buffer zone, prompting GSWA to file a police complaint.

Locals are upset over grant of 120 floor area ratio (FAR) during the PIL’s pendency. “The land use of notified wetlands has to have a uniform state mechanism for lake management,” said environmental architect Elsa Fernandes.

TCP minister Vishwajeet Rane said no development would be allowed within a 150-m radius of the lake. “ If any FSI is allotted they will be cancelled,” he said.