Panaji: The Goa government on Wednesday assured the House that it would carry out carrying capacity studies of villages to prevent demographic changes and ensure that local resources are not overstressed.
State Panchayat minister Mauvin Godinho told the state legislative assembly that the government is contemplating to conduct carrying capacity of each village by taking other departments into confidence.
“We will work out mechanism to conduct carrying capacity of each of the village,” Godinho told the House responding to a joint question tabled by Congress MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira and Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai.
Ferreira, representing Aldona constituency in North Goa, pointed out to the statement by former union minister Suresh Prabhu, who had advocated for the carrying capacity of the villages in Goa, considering the increasing housing activity happening in them.
The Congress legislator said that in absence of identifying the carrying capacity, the villages will witness change in their nature and character.
He stated that the mega housing projects being constructed in these villages will change the demography. Ferreira said that Goan villages are looked upon as a second homes, the luxury homes.
GFP MLA Sardesai stated that various panchayats in their gram sabhas have adopted resolutions appealing the government to access carrying capacity of their respective village.
Responding to the demands, Godinho said that the government will work out mechanism along with other departments to decide on the carrying capacity of each village.
He admitted that the villages are becoming places for mega housing projects thereby stressing the resources. Godinho said that the local panchayats alone cannot conduct the carrying capacity, hence other departments will also be taken in the loop.
