Latest news with #GoaStateBiodiversityBoard
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Centre joins German govt to study, curb KFD in Goa
Panaji: Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as monkey disease, emerged in Goa in March 2015. The state reported one death in 2015 and three deaths in 2016. The health department controlled the disease after over 460 cases through various measures. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Currently, regions in Goa, along with Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, are included in the central govt's pilot project on KFD. The pilot project aims to create awareness in villages located in the foothills of the Western Ghats, particularly in parts of Sattari, Goa. Additionally, the project will examine the relationship between altered biodiversity and KFD for the first time. The six-month study's findings will assist the Centre in preventing similar disease outbreaks nationwide. Pradip Sarmokadam, member secretary of the Goa State Biodiversity Board, said the increase in KFD cases in Goa occurred during the cashew plucking season. He noted that ticks on certain plants contribute to the disease's spread. 'It will be seen under the project if some of these plants that are made home by the ticks can be eliminated or reduced from the environment in the villagers of Sattari at the foothills of the Western Ghats, where there is history of KFD,' Sarmokadam said. The state established a committee on zoonosis for the first time. Sarmokadam added, 'The project is being taken up under govt of India's One Health Mission and GIZ of the German govt. It will aim to eliminate the roots of such diseases, ensure better preparedness to tackle them, and mobilise local people and biodiversity management committees to bring in behavioural changes in the locals through awareness etc to prevent KFD.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
'I studied the land': Goa man Balakrishna Aiya dug through rock to bring water to his village
Everyone said digging a well here was impossible,' says 76-year-old Balakrishna Aiya. The topic of the conversation is Maddi-Tolop and the resident of Loliem in Goa's Canacona is talking about how he worked through rock to bring water to the tiny community. It is a story as much of determination as ingenuity. Maddi-Tolop means 'rocky area' in Konkani. Water represented a constant anxiety for its residents, but experts had long written off the area due to its treacherous terrain: a rocky upper crust, followed by clay, and then solid black stone beneath. The geological challenges were formidable, but Aiya saw possibility where others saw only stone. 'I studied the land,' he recalls. 'Then I had an idea nobody had tried before.' His innovation was practical yet revolutionary. The trick, he figured, lay in being able to dig deep for water. But that was an enterprise that involved the considerable risk of getting trapped beneath boulders if the shaft caved in. So, Aiya designed an unprecedented safety feature: a stairway from the ground level down to the clay level, creating an escape route for workers who could then dig deeper, secure in the knowledge that they had a way out if the earth became unstable. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thị trường có dấu hiệu suy thoái không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo But he wasn't just content with solving his own water issues. He laid pipelines to connect his water source to 25 other households in Maddi-Tolop . Those who know Aiya say that's typical of the man who is an inno- vator, artist and an unlikely hero in equal parts. If locals are effusive in their praise, Aiya has also been recognised for his work with awards from the Goa State Biodiversity Board. He's also a recipient of the Kala Gaurav Puraskar. A restless creator, he crafts everything from Ganesh idols to brooms. In fact, adapting to the situation is Aiya's forte. In his younger years, when he discovered schools were hiring art teachers, he pursued an elementary drawing teachers' course and went on to teach at a local school for 17 years. That's how idol-making happened — as a means of supplementing his income after he'd taken voluntary retirement from school. He also doubles as a pandit to find additional ways to support his family. As for brooms, he actually devised a tool for making the latter. Catch him at work making brooms and you will notice a peculiarly shaped knife. 'This is my own design. It trims the ribs at exactly the right angle.' Using the instrument, within minutes he transforms what looks like an ordinary bundle of dried palm fronds into what locals insist is the finest broom in Canacona. The secret lies in a special binding technique and custom grip that Aiya perfected after years of experimentation. His brooms sell for Rs 250-300 each. Producing between two and six brooms daily, Aiya has turned a common tool into an art form. Now, he is keen to pass on his craftsmanship to the younger generation. 'What good is knowledge if it dies with you?' he says to articulate his philosophy. 'What good is innovation if it doesn't help your neighbour?'
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
State to expand its forest produce processing centres, engage private players
Panaji: State govt has decided to involve private players to operate GoVan multi-product processing centres (MPCs) as it is planning to start 11 new MPCs in the state, including one at Agnel Ashram, Verna. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Currently, MPCs operate at Pale and Bicholim in North Goa, and Pontemol and Curchorem in South Goa. GoVan is a flagship initiative of Goa State Biodiversity Board, launched in 2021 under the Biological Diversity Act of 2002. It combines 'Goa' and 'Van' (forest) to reflect its dual commitment to preserving Goa's biodiversity and encouraging sustainable, non-destructive harvesting of minor forest produce. Through GoVan, govt promotes the sustainable use of Goa's biodiversity resources and links them to the livelihoods of the rural population, with a focus on empowering women. The selected private player must develop a plan to make the MPCs cost-effective and profitable over time. They need to provide a comprehensive strategy for ensuring the functioning and sustainability of existing and future MPCs, including necessary machinery and infrastructure upgrades. 'The private players will have to propose and implement marketing and working models (financial and revenue-sharing models) to ensure the long-term viability of the centres, with strategies for profitability and self-sustainability,' a senior officer said. GoVan centres process non-timber forest products (NTFP) such as cashew, jackfruit, bimbla, mango, kokum, and coconut into value-added goods like pickles, dried fruits, and local delicacies. GoVan employs a systematic and sustainable approach throughout its operations, starting with non-destructive harvesting techniques that preserve crop health and ecosystem balance. After harvesting, the produce is carefully collected and transported to ensure minimal damage. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It is then sorted and graded based on size, quality, and ripeness, followed by washing to eliminate contaminants and ensure food safety. The produce is stored under optimal conditions to maintain freshness. For packaging and labelling, GoVan uses eco-friendly materials and provides detailed product information, highlighting the sustainability of its practices. GoVan processes some products into value-added items, such as pickles, dried fruits, candied fruits, or local specialities like Fenori, a Goan sweet snack, that increases the market value and provides additional income opportunities for SHG women. 'This comprehensive value chain approach, from sustainable harvesting to value-added product development, not only ensures high-quality outputs but also supports GoVan's mission of promoting environmental conservation and empowering local communities,' a senior officer said.
Time of India
29-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
State's first biodiversity plan focuses on climate resilience
Panaji: The first ever Goa State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (GSBSAP) draft has been released by govt for public consultation. The plan has been framed after a massive exercise with various sub-committees working under a 45-member committee. The biodiversity plan not only documents the state's biodiversity in minute detail but also proposes a strategy to drive the conservation of the state's resources by linking them to livelihood for local populations. This is expected to give the local populations a further incentive to conserve. The GSBSAP contains separate chapters on the conservation of the biodiversity of coastal, marine, and vulnerable ecosystems. Dedicated chapters address sustainable development planning for rural and urban areas, climate change, traditional knowledge, mid-plains, forest areas, and agri biodiversity among others. The sub-committee on wetlands and water bodies has said that a sea level rise could pose a threat to Goa's mangroves. 'The average sea level rise trends in Goa has seen an increase at the rate of 1.45mm per year from the period of 1969-2013,' the draft said. It said if this affects the mangroves, nesting sites of species like olive ridley turtles will be lost and the mangrove forest ecosystem will change due to the loss of saline-intolerant species. The sub-committee on avifauna has said that due to climate change, Goa has become vulnerable to forest fires which pose a threat to bird habitats such as those on Pilerne and Socorro plateaus. Drought-tolerant crops/crop varieties appropriate for Goa should be promoted, the sub-committee on climate change has recommended. 'Despite significant progress in the agricultural sector, climate extremes periodically result in losses to livelihoods and yields that produce distress in the farming community,' the draft said. 'Hence long-term measures are needed to develop climate-resilient agriculture production systems that can contribute to food security and poverty reduction.' The Goa State Biodiversity Board will keep the plan open for public suggestions and objections till July 22. The draft has been made available on the board's website, member secretary of the board Pradip Sarmokadam has said.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
State will introduce scheme to revive salt pans, says CM
Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant said that state govt will introduce a new scheme to revive salt pans in Goa. The scheme will be implemented through the Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB), said Sawant at the International Day for Biodiversity 2025 event at Sanquelim. He felicitated various individuals and communities for their initiatives in biodiversity conservation. 'From khazan farming to kulagars and sacred groves, biodiversity is deeply rooted in Goa's heritage. Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs), supported by the GSBB, continue to play a pivotal role in preserving our unique ecosystems through local action and community involvement. We will revive salt pans in Goa in collaboration with CSMCRI Bhavnagar and experts like Savita Kerkar. Our focus will be on local bio-salt, livelihoods, and ecological restoration,' said Sawant. He said that GoVan multi-processing centres, utilising local natural produce, run by women have been made operational by the state in Kudne, Pissurlem, Bhironda, Mayem, Pilgao, Verna, Dabhal, Sulcorna and Uguem. He said two more centers are now coming up at Sancorda and Rivona. 'These units are professionally managed to benefit women, farmers and rural entrepreneurs. Goa govt is committed to aligning biodiversity conservation with livelihood generation and sustainable development,' said Sawant.
