Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park
Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and
Mollem National Park Mollem wildlife | ||
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National Park | ||
Precipitation | 3,080 millimetres (121 in) |
Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park is a 240 square kilometres (93 sq mi)
History
This area was first known as Mollem Game Sanctuary. It was declared a
Flora and fauna
This sanctuary contains pristine vegetation classified as West Coast tropical evergreen forests, West Coast semi-evergreen forests and moist deciduous forests. The evergreen forests are mainly seen at higher altitudes and along the river banks. The predominant species are Terminalia, Lagerstroemia, Xylia and Dalbergia. The forest canopy is almost closed and the availability of grass is very limited. There are several perennial water sources in the sanctuary and the availability of water is not a limiting factor for wildlife.[4]
Plant diversity
Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park and surrounding area harbors 722 species of flowering plants in wild belonging to 492 genera and 122 families. 128 species of
Mammals
Wild mammals recorded in the sanctuary include the
]In May 2019, two tigers from Karnataka were photographed by camera traps in the park, and a tigress and her cubs were photographed in Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary,[10] the first sightings in Goa since 2013.[8][9]
Birds
Popular birds which can be seen in the sanctuary include:
Butterflies
Some of the many interesting butterfly specimens in the area are:
Reptiles
This sanctuary is famous for its snakes, particularly the
Attractions
This sanctuary and national park contain several geological, cultural and visitor service attractions that make this largest protected area in Goa a popular visitor destination.[citation needed]
Tambdi Surla Temple
This small but exquisite 12th-century
Dudhsagar Falls
Dudhsagar Falls (literally Sea of Milk) is a tiered waterfall located high up on the Mandovi River at the Karnataka border in the southwest part of the park, 10 km (6.2 mi) upstream from Collem Village. At 310 m (1,020 ft), it is Goa's tallest waterfall, India's fifth tallest, and is 227th in the world [14] A viaduct of the South Western Railways passes spectacularly through the waterfalls. This popular destination may be reached by hiking along the 10 km one lane dirt road or hiring a 4-wheel drive vehicle at Collem. Access is dangerous and restricted during the monsoon season of June to September.
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Dudhsagar Waterfalls in August
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Train passing next to the Dudhsagar Falls
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Lower half of Dudhsagar Falls
Devils Canyon
This is an eerie canyon of water carved crevises downstream from Dudh Sagar Falls, created from solid rock by serpentine underwater currents. It is just off the main trail soon past the Collem entry point.[citation needed]
Tambdi Falls
This waterfall, located about 2 km southwest of Tambdi Surla, at the Karnataka border, is equally spectacular and only slightly less tall than Dudsagar Falls, however it is rarely visited because of its difficult access by a steep, winding and irregular rocky path. A local guide is required.[citation needed]
Sunset Point
This point provides a scenic view of the park, revealing an expanse of closed canopy treetops. It can be reached by park vehicles, hired at Mollem check-point, driving along a zig-zagging road carved from the mountain.[citation needed]
Threats
This protected area is threatened by extensive surface mining and transport of
Three Infrastructural Projects: 2020
In December 2019, a newly constituted State Wildlife Advisory Board (SWLAB) met for approximately an hour. They discussed many projects, including the doubling of the railway line, a transmission line and a highway expansion proposal that would affect the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary.
The projects first came into public view when a wildlife scientist wrote a cover-story in The Hindu in May 2020 that pointed out that two of these projects- the transmission line and the highway, were cleared during the lockdown. These projects would require the felling of at least 91 hectares (9,10,000 square meters) of forest.[18]
On World Environment Day (June 5) 2020, a group of around 150 scientists, academicians, conservationists and concerned citizens from across the country wrote to Union Minister of Forests and Environment Prakash Javadekar. They urged him to reconsider the approvals granted to the three projects that threatened the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and the Mollem National Park. By this time, the number of trees to be felled were pegged at 55,000.[19]
During the one day Goa Legislative Assembly session in July 2020, the
In October 2020, on a visit to Goa, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar said at a press conference that he was not aware about the opposition to the three controversial linear projects proposed in and around the protected forests at the Wildlife Sanctuary. He said that he had received no written objections to the projects, despite environmental activists and other various groups from the state sending the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change dozens of written representations digitally and by post.[22]
A few days later, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco sent a letter to the Ministry of Environment, as well as the Goa Chief Minister saying that their feigning ignorance on the protests was disturbing to Goans. He reiterated that numerous Goans including students, teachers, architects, artists, scientists, and travel and tourism operators, had written to him over four months on the issue, and that he had written to the Centre over the issue of Mollem being stripped of its green cover.[23]
Around the same time, noted Konkani writer Damodar Mauzo in a video on Mollem, urged Goans to unite and back the people of Mollem in their fight to save the forests from destruction. In the video, he also recited a poem on the ongoing struggle to save the forests penned by a Mollem local Sharaschandra Khandeparkar.[24]
References
- .
- ^ The Department of Science, Technology & Environment, Saligao – Bardez, Goa WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES & NATIONAL PARKS Archived 2016-10-24 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ (9/10/2005) The Hindu, Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary
- ^ ATREE, Eco-Informatics Center, Bhagwan Mahavir or Mollem Wildlife Sanctuary Archived 2014-03-12 at the Wayback Machine, 2006
- ^ Datar Mandar & P. Lakshminarasimhan. 2013. Flora of Molem National Park and Surroundings, Goa. Botanical survey of India, Kolkata
- doi:10.15560/9.2.186.
- ^ Black panther in India
- ^ a b Kamat, Prakesh (2019-05-19). "Tiger spotted at Goa's only national park". The Hindu. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
- ^ Times of India. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
- Times of India. 2019-05-21. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
- ^ Forest Dept, Govt. of Goa, Pocket Guide Series to Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary & Mollem National Park
- ^ Archaeological Survey of India, Sign at location
- ^ Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla Archived 2009-01-07 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "World's highest waterfalls". World Waterfall Database. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
- ^ Harish, Wildlife Institute of India, Case Studies, Status of mineral resources and developments in mining sector: National perspective
- ^ Protected Areas Update, Iron ore sludge dumped in PAs in Goa, June 2006, (61): 6.
- ^ Wildlife Division, Forest Dept, Govt. of Goa
- ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ^ "Scientists, conservationists urge Javadekar to reconsider forest felling for highway, railway expansion". Hindustan Times. 2020-06-06. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ^ "Page 1, The Goan Everyday". The Goan Everyday. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ^ "Kamat takes up Mollem projects with central panel". The Times of India. Aug 1, 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ^ "Javadekar feigns ignorance on protests against 3 controversial Mollem projects". The Goan EveryDay. 2020-10-05. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
- ^ "In a letter to the Centre, Curtorim MLA slams Javadekar on Mollem protests". O Heraldo. 2020-10-10. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
- ^ "Mauzo uploads video, recites poem to unite Goans, protect #Mollem". The Goan Everyday. 2020-10-11. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
External links
- Media related to Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park at Wikimedia Commons