Baga River: Central to Ecological Security of Bardez - I

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BAGA River has a pathetic story to tell. It derives its’ name from a ‘region of orchards’, probably the dense belt of coconut trees which had once adorned its’ banks. Even today the dried copra and coconut oil produced in coastal Bardez is world famous. The Baga-Anjuna region had witnessed sailors and traders from Basra, Persia, Egypt, Yemen, Oman and the rise and fall of many kingdoms aggressively attempting to monopolise the lucrative Persian horse trade.

A part of Anjuna village is drained by this river. Anjuna had an Arabian trading settlement during the Shilahara-Kadamba period. Next to Anjuna is the charming village of Assagao which derives its’ name from ‘Ashwa-grama’ or a village of horses. Much of ancient glory of Baga has been forgotten. The river has been converted virtually into a sewer by the tourism industry. But still it is the saviour of coastal Bardez.

From the green hillside of Saligao to the scenic Assagao-Anjuna Valley, the Baga River drains a low-lying area of 50 sq kms. Today it has lost much of its’ original mangrove cover. The tourism boom has taken a heavy toll of its’ hydrography. The saltpans have been reclaimed for boating or for constructions. Without acknowledging the natural debt of the Baga River, coastal Bardez, specifically the region between Anjuna to Verem has been minting money on tourism. It is one of the most cosmopolitan and richest tourism belts in India.

A normal tourist season sees footfalls of two million tourists. They spend more than five thousand crore rupees ($ 100 millions). The unofficial annual turnover at the flea market at Anjuna alone is estimated at 60-80 crore. This may give anyone an idea of what is at stake economically and politically in this belt. Bardez is absolutely clueless about its’ economic and employment options if an ecological catastrophe hits it. It is already clueless about the long-term impacts and consequences of evils of moral decay –HIV/AIDS, drugs, gambling, sex trade and the terror of petty mafias.

Ironically, in 1965 when the first flower children whom the Goans called ‘hippies’ had stepped on the pristine sands of Calangute – the locals had experienced a culture shock at their behaviour. A demonstration was organised in Panaji to protest the entry of these tourists. An unprecedented social, economic and cultural transformation of this belt has since taken place. It has already lost its’ typical Goan character. It has assumed a semi autonomous cosmopolitan and hyper-liberal character of its’ own. It is one of the top ten hot spots of drug dealing in the world. With more than half the population depending on tourism, there is very little concern about the serious ecological price, which the people have paid to create wealth.

Real mass tourism took off in 1974-5. But even after 35 years this belt has no modern sewerage system. The entire sandy aquifer between Candolim to Calangute is heavily contaminated with microbial pathogens. Since 1985 this belt has been an unfortunate victim of mosquito borne diseases.

Why Baga river is so important for ecology and economy of coastal Bardez? Bardez is drained by three rivers – Chapora or Colvale, Baga and Mandovi. But only Baga drainage area is dominated by and dependent on tourism. The hydrography of Baga River is still not properly understood by our planners.

The river originates as a small, inconspicuous stream from the vegetated slope of Anjuna-Assagao valley. There are destructive plans to convert this area. Baga drainage is divided into two distinct watersheds. Both the watersheds are ecologically highly fragile. The northern watershed comprises Anjuna, Assagao, Parra region. Two important streams join the Baga River before it takes a U-turn near the beach.

The southern watershed drains a vast plain spread from Guirim to Calangute. This plain shows an emergent landmass after recession of the sea about 6-8000 years ago. Marine fossils found in this area indicate such a possibility. It also shows the original course and vast paleofloodplain of Baga River.

What may a draw a geologist’s attention is the presence of the triangular hillock of Monte de Guirim, 60 m high and spread over 64 hectares occupying almost a central position in the plain surrounded by semicircular hills – from Parra (elevation 88 m) to Bastora (88 m) and Sangolda (65m) to Saligao (81m). The Guirim hill is a geological oddity – an inselberg (terrestrial island) surrounded by 30 sq kms of an oval plain. A small stream from Guirim area also joins to meet the Baga River near Arpora. If the hill slopes of Parra, Guirim, Sangolda and Saligao were excavated, then there would be heavy sediment flow in the plain. Unfortunately such excavation has already devastated the vegetated slope of Guirim hill. Heavy sediment flow from the lateritic hill slopes would block the drainage of the low-lying areas. Being at an average height of just one to five metres above sea level, the Parra-Guirim-Saligao-Sangolda plain seems vulnerable to future sea level rise. This watershed also includes the western slope of Saligao hill.

The small, narrow stream, which begins in the paddy fields of Saligao seems to be an artificial drain constructed by the local gaunkari. It links the backwaters of Baga at Arpora after crossing Saligao-Parra road. The protection and conservation of Arpora confluence of Guirim and Saligao streams is central to ecological security of coastal Bardez.

Similarly, no constructions can be permitted in Assagao-Anjuna eco sensitive valley. Constructions have been permitted in a haphazard and ecologically irresponsible manner on the banks of Baga River. Between Saligao to Baga the river had 30 large saltpans. Arpora was a major salt producer village in Bardez. Reclamation of saltpans for tourism development has reduced the river’s drainage capacity.

NIO scientists Sathe and Sawkar (2003) had conducted a study for TERI on landform changes from remote sensing data in this area. They mentioned that – “Salt pans have been disappearing. The tidal creek at Baga seems to be getting reclaimed at a fast pace. Concrete structures have arisen in the form of resorts and buildings for tourism related activities, including a lagoon for boating, by diverting or stopping the course of tidal waters. This has resulted in the obstruction of its’ free flow degrading the eco-sensitive backwaters”.

The Baga River is not owned by any private party. Then how did the government authorities permit the creation of a privately owned lagoon for boating? If the scientists had concluded that the lagoon has caused obstruction in the free flow of Baga River then why it was not promptly dismantled? The answer lies in the influence and power of wealth generated by environmentally subsidised tourism in coastal Bardez (to be concluded).