Panaji: The Goa State Wetland Authority, Goa State Biodiversity Board, Goa Tourism Development Corporation, National Institute of Oceanography, and the water resources department, along with the protesting villagers, started the joint survey of the entire buffer zone around the Toyyar Lake in Chimbel on Saturday. The officials surveyed the boundary of the lake, along with the highest water mark where the rainwater trickled down to the lake during the monsoon. The officials will resume the survey for the zone of influence on Sunday.Govind Shirodkar, chairperson of Chimbel Wetland Committee, said, “We have been on a hunger strike for almost a month, and I am proud that all of our villagers united for one purpose, which is to protect our lake. This lake is our livelihood, and we will do everything in our power to safeguard it.”The residents claim that the lake served as an essential source of water supply for the surrounding areas in the Portuguese era. The villagers, in their meeting with the CM on Wednesday, urged a re-notification of the demarcation of the wetland by conducting a fresh survey by the officials.RG functionary Ajay Kolekar said, “Irrespective of whether the mall site and Prashasan Stambh fall under the zone of influence or not, we do not want this project here. We want to protect our lake and our wetland. The CM, who is the mastermind in destroying our lake and biodiversity, sold our village for commercial purposes. If he thinks we are going to stay quiet, he is wrong to do so.”The villagers demanded the creation of a biodiversity park to protect the zone of interest. The villagers will stage a protest outside Renewable Energy minister Shripad Naik’s residence on Sunday and a symbolic protest at the Republic Day parade site on Jan 26.
