In Goa, a community movement has brought a century-old heritage lake back to life
The movement to save Bondvol lake has inspired hope among those fighting unsustainable development in the state. Jan 14, 2021 · 01:30 pm Arturo D’Souza, a former English and History teacher, has been a key member of the ‘Save Bondvol Lake’ people’s movement. | Deepti/ Mongabay
When young Arturo D’Souza and his friends would take their cows and buffaloes to the Bondvol lake to bathe, the melodic sounds of a multitude of birds filled the air.
Bondvol, a 110-year-old natural reservoir in Goa, built during the Portuguese times, was the source of water for the village of Santa Cruz. It was also rich in biodiversity. “We used to end up jumping into the water ourselves along with our cattle,” said D’Souza, now 54 years old, with the memory of those times still fresh as ever. “The Bondvol waters were used for providing water to the fields.”