Save the Plateaus of Loliem-Poinguinim! Reject Ecologically Destructive Projects
Save the Plateaus of Loliem-Poinguinim! Reject Ecologically Destructive Projects
The Issue
Why Our Plateaus Are Unique:
Bhagwati Plateau in Loliem village, Canacona, Goa, is a sacred land, rich in irreplaceable biodiversity, culture and heritage and the soul of our community. It is home to several unique indigenous flora and fauna, including rare and globally important species. Scientists have reported this plateau to be a biodiversity hotspot. In fact, the biodiversity of this plateau is yet to be fully documented and there are likely to be many species left to be scientifically described.
A variety of microhabitats like open rocks, seasonal water pools, streams and grasslands not only support unique species but also provide ecosystem services to us- the villagers of Loliem and Poinguinim. The plateau holds multiple values in our lives. It supports farming and livestock grazing, and is also a heritage and cultural site. Some of us practise traditional farming known as ‘kamatsheti’ on the plateau and offer our first harvest to the Goddess Bhagwati in the Bhagwati temple. This ancient temple has a tiger idol known as ‘vaghro’; an evidence to the fact that this landscape is a tiger habitat. The plateau is also home to other threatened mammals like the Indian leopard, the Indian pangolin, sambar deer and Goa’s state animal- the gaur.
Our Bhagwati Plateau supports an incredible diversity of plants, including those endemic to the Western Ghats, which means that they are found nowhere else in the world outside this region. Some of these endemic plants that have been reported from here are Trithuria konkanensis, Eriocaulon belgaumense, Bhidea burnsiana and Dipcadi goaense. During the monsoon season, our plateau is adorned by wild flowers, vegetables and fungi. We forage wild vegetables like ek pana bhaaji, taikilo, tero, shirmandlichi bhaji and wild mushrooms.
Our plateaus of Loliem and Poinguinim are so fragile and sensitive that any disturbance caused by infrastructure projects will impact multiple flora and fauna groups of endemic and threatened species, increase forest fragmentation and disrupt the movement of long-ranging animals like tigers and leopards. The ‘Status of Leopards in India 2022’ report, released in February 2024 by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India, stated that there has been an increase in the cases of leopards sightings near human habitations in Loliem village which lies at the fringe of the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary. This indicates that further habitat loss can potentially lead to human-leopard conflict in our village.
The Issue:
Bhagwati and other plateaus of Loliem and Poinguinim, just like other lateritic plateaus in Goa, are highly threatened by large infrastructure projects. Very recently, the Goa Government signed an MoU with the Loliem-Polem Communidade to create a ‘Film City’ on 10 lakh sq. metres of land in Bhagwati Plateau. Simultaneously, Kulti Plateau is planned to be opened to destruction with a proposal to construct a road on the plateau, while other plateaus in Loliem are proposed to be devastated by granting 1 lakh sq. meters to a sitting MLA, another 50,000 sq. meters to an ex-MP under the guise of a sainik school, and 15 lakh sq. meters for a solar farm, and for other commercial and tourism purposes.
We see no justifiable reasons in terms of the sociocultural and economic benefit of any of these projects, given the large-scale devastation and loss of biodiversity that they will cause. These disruptive decisions will have a long-lasting negative impact on our people, our place and our future generations. These projects have no place on Bhagwati, Kulti, or our other plateaus, for which our people have the deepest reverence. Over the past 2 decades, we have successfully resisted 4 huge 5-Star Hotel projects on 40 lakh sq. meters, an IIT project on 20 lakh sq. meters, and an industrial estate which was to come up in this same area. Now, during another push for destructive developmental plans, we are once again coming together to resist this new push for disastrous projects on our plateaus.
Our Demands:
Our land is filled with rich stories, knowledge, wild flowers and ancient culture and we, the people of Loliem and Poinguinim, have been the steadfast custodians of these common lands. Our demands are clear. Our Plateaus are NOT for sale. Respect our land and our ecological heritage.
Our specific demands to the Goa Government are:
1. Cancel all projects proposed on Bhagwati, Kulti and other plateaus of Loliem and Poinguinim villages.
2. Conserve all plateaus of Loliem and Poinguinim villages using scientific methods and traditional ecological knowledge and carry out conservation measures in consultation with us.
3. Recognize our plateaus to be evolutionary laboratories and repositories of the highest endemism among all habitats of the Western Ghats, ideal for scientific research and educational studies by students and future generations.
Read more:
1. https://www.heraldgoa.in/goa/goa/loliem-locals-rise-against-film-city-project-on-bhagwati-plateau/424781
3. https://www.thegoan.net/goa-news/loliempolem-villagers-against-land-conversion/121042.html
6. https://earthjournalism.net/stories/indias-little-known-rocky-biodiversity-hotspots-need-attention
3,362
The Issue
Why Our Plateaus Are Unique:
Bhagwati Plateau in Loliem village, Canacona, Goa, is a sacred land, rich in irreplaceable biodiversity, culture and heritage and the soul of our community. It is home to several unique indigenous flora and fauna, including rare and globally important species. Scientists have reported this plateau to be a biodiversity hotspot. In fact, the biodiversity of this plateau is yet to be fully documented and there are likely to be many species left to be scientifically described.
A variety of microhabitats like open rocks, seasonal water pools, streams and grasslands not only support unique species but also provide ecosystem services to us- the villagers of Loliem and Poinguinim. The plateau holds multiple values in our lives. It supports farming and livestock grazing, and is also a heritage and cultural site. Some of us practise traditional farming known as ‘kamatsheti’ on the plateau and offer our first harvest to the Goddess Bhagwati in the Bhagwati temple. This ancient temple has a tiger idol known as ‘vaghro’; an evidence to the fact that this landscape is a tiger habitat. The plateau is also home to other threatened mammals like the Indian leopard, the Indian pangolin, sambar deer and Goa’s state animal- the gaur.
Our Bhagwati Plateau supports an incredible diversity of plants, including those endemic to the Western Ghats, which means that they are found nowhere else in the world outside this region. Some of these endemic plants that have been reported from here are Trithuria konkanensis, Eriocaulon belgaumense, Bhidea burnsiana and Dipcadi goaense. During the monsoon season, our plateau is adorned by wild flowers, vegetables and fungi. We forage wild vegetables like ek pana bhaaji, taikilo, tero, shirmandlichi bhaji and wild mushrooms.
Our plateaus of Loliem and Poinguinim are so fragile and sensitive that any disturbance caused by infrastructure projects will impact multiple flora and fauna groups of endemic and threatened species, increase forest fragmentation and disrupt the movement of long-ranging animals like tigers and leopards. The ‘Status of Leopards in India 2022’ report, released in February 2024 by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India, stated that there has been an increase in the cases of leopards sightings near human habitations in Loliem village which lies at the fringe of the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary. This indicates that further habitat loss can potentially lead to human-leopard conflict in our village.
The Issue:
Bhagwati and other plateaus of Loliem and Poinguinim, just like other lateritic plateaus in Goa, are highly threatened by large infrastructure projects. Very recently, the Goa Government signed an MoU with the Loliem-Polem Communidade to create a ‘Film City’ on 10 lakh sq. metres of land in Bhagwati Plateau. Simultaneously, Kulti Plateau is planned to be opened to destruction with a proposal to construct a road on the plateau, while other plateaus in Loliem are proposed to be devastated by granting 1 lakh sq. meters to a sitting MLA, another 50,000 sq. meters to an ex-MP under the guise of a sainik school, and 15 lakh sq. meters for a solar farm, and for other commercial and tourism purposes.
We see no justifiable reasons in terms of the sociocultural and economic benefit of any of these projects, given the large-scale devastation and loss of biodiversity that they will cause. These disruptive decisions will have a long-lasting negative impact on our people, our place and our future generations. These projects have no place on Bhagwati, Kulti, or our other plateaus, for which our people have the deepest reverence. Over the past 2 decades, we have successfully resisted 4 huge 5-Star Hotel projects on 40 lakh sq. meters, an IIT project on 20 lakh sq. meters, and an industrial estate which was to come up in this same area. Now, during another push for destructive developmental plans, we are once again coming together to resist this new push for disastrous projects on our plateaus.
Our Demands:
Our land is filled with rich stories, knowledge, wild flowers and ancient culture and we, the people of Loliem and Poinguinim, have been the steadfast custodians of these common lands. Our demands are clear. Our Plateaus are NOT for sale. Respect our land and our ecological heritage.
Our specific demands to the Goa Government are:
1. Cancel all projects proposed on Bhagwati, Kulti and other plateaus of Loliem and Poinguinim villages.
2. Conserve all plateaus of Loliem and Poinguinim villages using scientific methods and traditional ecological knowledge and carry out conservation measures in consultation with us.
3. Recognize our plateaus to be evolutionary laboratories and repositories of the highest endemism among all habitats of the Western Ghats, ideal for scientific research and educational studies by students and future generations.
Read more:
1. https://www.heraldgoa.in/goa/goa/loliem-locals-rise-against-film-city-project-on-bhagwati-plateau/424781
3. https://www.thegoan.net/goa-news/loliempolem-villagers-against-land-conversion/121042.html
6. https://earthjournalism.net/stories/indias-little-known-rocky-biodiversity-hotspots-need-attention
3,362
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Petition created on 28 July 2025