PANAJI: The water resources department (WRD) has begun consultations with the Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB) over erecting bio-fencing around nine abandoned laterite stone quarries in Pernem taluka. Once the bio-fencing is carried out, it will be first such instance in Goa.
Bio-fencing involves planting of trees or shrubs suitable to the area to cordon if off. Earlier, WRD had been ordered to install barbed wire fencing around the abandoned quarries in Pernem, after four teenage boys lost their lives here in 2019.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently granted financial compensation to the families of the boys who lost their lives at the abandoned stone quarries in Pernem in 2019.
After the case, there was much anger among citizens over how pits were being abandoned with no safety measures put in place by those who mined it for laterite.
Following this, the mines department had taken up the exercise to prepare a report on the possible remediation that can be taken up for such abandoned quarry pits.
Bio-fencing is one of the mitigation measures that are being considered now.
Sources said that as part of consultations over restoring or putting the quarries to use, initially it was suggested that they can be used as rainwater recharge points or reservoirs.
“It was felt that setting up of filtration plants can be considered and this water can be supplied to nearby villages. But there was significant cost involved in setting up the filtration plants. So it was then thought the water could be used for irrigation. But the area is such that there are no plantations or fields in close proximity,” said an official.
A join inspection is scheduled by WRD and agriculture officials to consider the use of the water for irrigation.
“It was found by WRD that there is 1.3MCM water stored in the quarries during the monsoon season and there is water available here even upto the month of April. Only in May, the quarries dry up,” said an official.