Environment
protection shell for turtles
Rupesh Samant
7 January 2004
After being victimised due to increasing beach tourism, the
turtles on Goan beaches will now get much-needed protection.
The Goa state board for wildlife has recommended for acquisition
of areas identified as turtle nesting sites.
The recent wildlife board meeting attains importance as it
was chaired by chief minister, Manohar Parrikar, himself.
The land acquisition is proposed at three important Goan beaches
Galjibag and Agonda in South Goa and Morjim in North Goa where
turtle nesting takes place.
The alarm over the decreasing population of turtle was raised
in the state long back with no much follow up being done by
the state government. Turtles are covered under schedule I
of the wildlife protection act.
The recommendation is considered as important step towards
conservation of turtles along the coastal belt which are facing
problem due to unplanned beach tourism in Goa. The turtle
species particularly the Olive Ridleys are being endangered
due to poaching and trampling.
The areas after acquisition be declared as conservation reserves
and committes comprising of representatives from the respective
panchayats and other local bodies be constituted to assist
in providing protection.
The wildlife board has also recommended the restriction of
tourists visiting tourism spots nearing turtle nesting sites.
So also, in case of eco-tourism spots especially in the wildlife
sanctuaries.
The state forest department has already restricted the number
of visitors to Dudhsagar waterfall bordering Goa-Karnataka.
This waterfall which tops the list of eco-tourism spots has
now only 200 visitors visiting every day following restrictions.
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