Keri: For the third time in the past two decades, most of the Bicholim and Talokas sattari were submerged in water after intense rainfall.
Environmental lovers say that failure to protect the cover of trees in the river area of ​​the Mandovi and Rivers Tillari rivers have exposed Bicholim and Sattari to flood the winter.
The villagers also violated the flood of rivers to raise horticulture and agriculture plants, which have added problems, said environmental lovers.
“Massive deforestation has occurred for a quarter century in various Mandovi and Tillari basins.
This resulted in an increase in the burden of sediment.
Also, encroachment was carried out in the river floodland, heavy runoff from mining dumps and stone mines had worsened the situation,” said Madhu Gaonkar, Environmental activist from Khandola.
In many villages of Sattari and Bicholim, the locals have recaptured land from the floodland to cultivation.
Also, sand mining, gravel and stone have resulted in a change in the hydrodynamics of the river, the experts said.
In the Mhadei River, on the outskirts of Kotrachi, Ragado, Zarme, Velus and Nanoda, forest cover has been ignored illegally to carry out cashew plantations.
In Virdi in Dodamarg Taluka from Maharashtra, across the border, deforestation has been made to establish plantations and accommodate pond houses, which lead to soil erosion and soaking in Valvonti.
Stone mines in Talekhol and Dodaamarg have caused an increase in the Bicholim River.
“The collection caused by floods is not only due to natural factors but various anthropogenic activities,” said Siddhesh Alone from Shiroli-Sattari.
To add problems, the Department of Water Resources has done the work of anti-flood embankments without understanding the vulnerability and ecology of the river.
This has increased erosion.
Also, Destiltation work has been carried out through non-scientific dredging that has posed a threat to natural vegetation in the river, experts said.
“During dredging and desi, Sherni plant species that protect Riverine Coarse and beds have been degraded.
Sherni plays an important role in minimizing the destructive role of flooding and in enriching freshwater ecosystems,” Assavari Kulkarni, a botanist from Honda-Sattari.
In the Das Tillari area, the largescale rubber plantation has been carried out and this has caused soil erosion to lead to the rapid syrades and affect the capacity of river water storage.