Rajendra P Kerkar, TNN | Apr 8, 2013
KERI: Though, today Lamgao situated two km away from Bicholim town, is one of the wards of Bicholim municipality, once upon a time it was an independent village predominantly dependant upon agriculture and horticulture and blessed by rich sources of perennial water bodies like springs, streams and lakes.
The onset of mining activities on a massive scale in Mayem and Lamgao areas have caused serious degradation of the rich forest in the area thereby destroying the ground water table inherited by the town. Lamgao was known during ancient times as 'Lamhagram', meaning village of Buddhist monks. The rock-cut caves carved out for meditation by the Buddhist monks stand testimony to this era.
The decoration found on the moulded plinth in the second cave of Lamgao indicates influence of Buddhism as Chaitya windows have been chiselled out and archaeologist V R Mitragotri has mentioned that this cave's origin traces back to 600 AD.
Near the cave, there is a perennial spring which earlier used to quench the thirst of the Buddhist monks, villagers and irrigate horticultural fields along with agriculture. Today, spring water is used mainly for washing clothes and utensils. The well-known Marathi novelist Subhash Bhende, through his novel, 'Udhawast' has brought to light upheaval in the form of destruction and degradation caused to horticultural fields locally known as 'Kulaghars' and 'Bhats', a quarter of a century ago in Lamgao.
Pratap Govekar, a local from Lamgao says, "Our area was forested and was rich in perennial water bodies. Vaghpet in Lamgao and worship of Vaghrodev tells us that the land was known for tigers. Today, the natural heritage is on the verge of extinction. The lake of Mhatrai is heavily silted, streams are degraded."
The many springs and streams originating in Lamgao, Bordem and Valshi used to feed water to the Bicholim river. Today, the huge lakes irrigating agriculture and horticulture in these areas have already been degraded. The horticulture fields have experienced a gradual death.
Environmental activist Ramesh Gauns, who resides at Pazwada in Bicholim, said "Agriculture and horticulture was the backbone of Lamgao. Worship of Vaghrodev at Lamgao tells us that the tiger was a resident of the area. Numerous springs and lakes of Lamgao were continuously providing water for drinking and irrigation. But, today mining activities have forced us to depend totally on the Sankhali and Padocem water treatment plants."
Today, lakes and springs of Lamgao are on their way to oblivion. Near the government primary school, there is a shrine dedicated to Kajreshwar with a huge sacred tree of Kajro. In the past, this was the area of the sacred grove. Now, except for one tree, all vegetation has been destroyed. A lake which was full with crystal clear water is silted and has muddy water.
The new temple of Mhatrai is built near the settlement since the old temple was buried long ago under a collapsed mining dump, said Govekar. The lake of Mhatrai is heavily silted. The wildlife habitat has been totally destroyed. Narayan Gad, deputy collector of Bicholim, said, "We have given directives to the mining company concerned to undertake work to prevent siltation and degradation of lakes and streams before the onset of monsoon in the area."
Narayan Betkikar, deputy chairman of Bicholim municipality, said, "We are aware about the situation and necessary steps will be taken at the earliest for protecting lakes and springs of Lamgao."
Gauns, the environmentalist, said "I have already brought to the notice of government authorities concerned about the pathetic condition of Mhatrai lake and other lakes of Lamgao caused by the mining companies. But, no concrete efforts have been done to protect and conserve the water bodies of Lamgao. If systematic steps are taken to rejuvenate the lakes, our areas will never experience paucity of water."
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Paradise-destroyed-and-devastated/articleshow/19434432.cms
KERI: Though, today Lamgao situated two km away from Bicholim town, is one of the wards of Bicholim municipality, once upon a time it was an independent village predominantly dependant upon agriculture and horticulture and blessed by rich sources of perennial water bodies like springs, streams and lakes.
The onset of mining activities on a massive scale in Mayem and Lamgao areas have caused serious degradation of the rich forest in the area thereby destroying the ground water table inherited by the town. Lamgao was known during ancient times as 'Lamhagram', meaning village of Buddhist monks. The rock-cut caves carved out for meditation by the Buddhist monks stand testimony to this era.
The decoration found on the moulded plinth in the second cave of Lamgao indicates influence of Buddhism as Chaitya windows have been chiselled out and archaeologist V R Mitragotri has mentioned that this cave's origin traces back to 600 AD.
Near the cave, there is a perennial spring which earlier used to quench the thirst of the Buddhist monks, villagers and irrigate horticultural fields along with agriculture. Today, spring water is used mainly for washing clothes and utensils. The well-known Marathi novelist Subhash Bhende, through his novel, 'Udhawast' has brought to light upheaval in the form of destruction and degradation caused to horticultural fields locally known as 'Kulaghars' and 'Bhats', a quarter of a century ago in Lamgao.
Pratap Govekar, a local from Lamgao says, "Our area was forested and was rich in perennial water bodies. Vaghpet in Lamgao and worship of Vaghrodev tells us that the land was known for tigers. Today, the natural heritage is on the verge of extinction. The lake of Mhatrai is heavily silted, streams are degraded."
The many springs and streams originating in Lamgao, Bordem and Valshi used to feed water to the Bicholim river. Today, the huge lakes irrigating agriculture and horticulture in these areas have already been degraded. The horticulture fields have experienced a gradual death.
Environmental activist Ramesh Gauns, who resides at Pazwada in Bicholim, said "Agriculture and horticulture was the backbone of Lamgao. Worship of Vaghrodev at Lamgao tells us that the tiger was a resident of the area. Numerous springs and lakes of Lamgao were continuously providing water for drinking and irrigation. But, today mining activities have forced us to depend totally on the Sankhali and Padocem water treatment plants."
Today, lakes and springs of Lamgao are on their way to oblivion. Near the government primary school, there is a shrine dedicated to Kajreshwar with a huge sacred tree of Kajro. In the past, this was the area of the sacred grove. Now, except for one tree, all vegetation has been destroyed. A lake which was full with crystal clear water is silted and has muddy water.
The new temple of Mhatrai is built near the settlement since the old temple was buried long ago under a collapsed mining dump, said Govekar. The lake of Mhatrai is heavily silted. The wildlife habitat has been totally destroyed. Narayan Gad, deputy collector of Bicholim, said, "We have given directives to the mining company concerned to undertake work to prevent siltation and degradation of lakes and streams before the onset of monsoon in the area."
Narayan Betkikar, deputy chairman of Bicholim municipality, said, "We are aware about the situation and necessary steps will be taken at the earliest for protecting lakes and springs of Lamgao."
Gauns, the environmentalist, said "I have already brought to the notice of government authorities concerned about the pathetic condition of Mhatrai lake and other lakes of Lamgao caused by the mining companies. But, no concrete efforts have been done to protect and conserve the water bodies of Lamgao. If systematic steps are taken to rejuvenate the lakes, our areas will never experience paucity of water."
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Paradise-destroyed-and-devastated/articleshow/19434432.cms
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