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Through his research and documentation, Chayne speaks with residents of his ancestral community in the village of Socorro as he traces the hydrological significance of the plateau. His work shares folktales and traditional sustainable practices from the community and documents the diverse flora, fauna and migratory bird species that visit Socorro. While engaging and speaking with the community he discusses the impact of changing land use patterns on the environment and the livelihoods of community members.
Socorro is a serene village between the northwest face of the Mapusa-Porvorim highway and the Socorro plateau to the east. Once part of a larger village called Serula, it included Salvador do Mundo, Penha da Franca (Britona), Socorro, and half of Pomburpa (Ecoxim). This village consists of seven wards: Ambirna, Arrarim, Carrem, Maina, Porvorim, Vaddem, and Dosvaddo. The village, lush with foliage and diverse landscapes, ranges from low-lying fertile fields and wetlands to the foothills, where locals live densely among thick, large trees. This foliage stretches from the foothills to the expansive laterite plateau, covered in grasslands that change with the seasons. Residents make their livelihoods through farming various crops and vegetables, growing paddy, and cultivating cashew orchards on the hill slopes. In the summer, they distill a local favourite drink, Feni. The village relies heavily on freshwater from monsoon rains, supported by a water network that sustains daily life.
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BARDEZ TALUKA
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SOCORRO PANCHAYAT
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LAND USES
SOCORRO TOPOGRAPHY MAP
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INDUSTRIAL ESTATE IN FORESTED AREA
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My relationship with Socorro and the Plateau
I cherish the village as an oasis from the city’s hustle and the concrete sprawl of Porvorim. Once an expanse of greenery, Porvorim is now a rapidly developing urban hub with scarce green spaces. Growing up, my grandfather told me stories passed down from his mother. Though he is no longer with us, his nostalgia for Socorro shaped my understanding of the village. I discovered the Socorro plateau at 16, stumbling upon this untouched haven while browsing Google Maps for new mountain bike trails. I grew up in Porvorim during the 2000s, a time of rapid housing and development, and which continues to grow today. My family settled here permanently from East Africa in the 80s. Unlike most children my age, who were engrossed in video games or sports, I was curious and adventurous, raised on National Geographic and passionate about the outdoors. As Porvorim developed, the green open spaces we once freely explored shrank, leaving us with fewer opportunities to climb trees and more time playing football and cricket.
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My relationship with Socorro and the Plateau
I cherish the village as an oasis from the city’s hustle and the concrete sprawl of Porvorim. Once an expanse of greenery, Porvorim is now a rapidly developing urban hub with scarce green spaces. Growing up, my grandfather told me stories passed down from his mother. Though he is no longer with us, his nostalgia for Socorro shaped my understanding of the village. I discovered the Socorro plateau at 16, stumbling upon this untouched haven while browsing Google Maps for new mountain bike trails. I grew up in Porvorim during the 2000s, a time of rapid housing and development, and which continues to grow today. My family settled here permanently from East Africa in the 80s. Unlike most children my age, who were engrossed in video games or sports, I was curious and adventurous, raised on National Geographic and passionate about the outdoors. As Porvorim developed, the green open spaces we once freely explored shrank, leaving us with fewer opportunities to climb trees and more time playing football and cricket.
The Biodiversity of the Plateau
The hillsides of the village have lush soil, providing a fertile medium for plants and creating a sustainable habitat for animals. The fields at the base of the plateau consist mainly of loamy and clayey soil, known for its fertility. During the monsoon season, silt flows down from the plateaus, mixing with the soil to enhance its quality. Traces of ‘chikol’ (muck) and clay are found in wetter areas like ponds, which support a wide range of edible, medicinal, and carnivorous plants.
Throughout the year, the plateau's appearance changes. During the monsoons, it is draped in greenery, while in the drier months, the grass dries up and changes colour. This plateau serves as a home and safe space for both migratory and resident species. Its elevation makes it a biodiversity hotspot, hosting myriad species of flowering plants, fungi, shrubs, bushes, trees, insects, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and birds. It acts as a natural corridor for wildlife, offering a space for foraging, hunting, nesting, and refuge.
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The Goa Forest Department categorises the plateau vegetation as open scrub jungle with dry deciduous elements (Carissa congesta, Holarrhena pubescens, Calycopteris floribunda, Woodfordia fruticosa, Grewia abutilifolia, and Vitex negundo), moist mixed deciduous forests (Terminalia crenulata, T. bellirica, T. paniculata, Lagerstroemia parviflora, Adina cordifolia, and Albizia lebbeck), and secondary moist mixed deciduous forests with knotty, coppice-origin trees (Terminalia crenulata, T. chebula, Adina cordifolia, Alstonia scholaris, Lannea coromandelica, Bombax ceiba, Careya arborea, and Dillenia pentagyna).
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Numerous mammals and reptiles inhabit the plateau, including the Common Leopard, Indian Palm Civet, Civet Cat, Indian Golden Jackal, Indian Crested Porcupine, Indian Boar, Indian Gerbil, Indian Black Turtle, Saw-scaled Viper, Russell's Viper, Bronzeback Tree Snake, Checkered Keelback, Indian Rock Python, Narrow-mouthed Frogs, Marbled Balloon Frogs, Dobson's Burrowing Frogs, Tree Frogs, Cricket Frogs, Bullfrogs, Bombay Bush Frogs, Amboli Bush Frogs, Plateau Geckos, and Skinks. They rely on tree cover for shelter and forage across the plateau and in nearby villages, creating a unique ecosystem and food web.
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Numerous mammals and reptiles inhabit the plateau, including the Common Leopard, Indian Palm Civet, Civet Cat, Indian Golden Jackal, Indian Crested Porcupine, Indian Boar, Indian Gerbil, Indian Black Turtle, Saw-scaled Viper, Russell's Viper, Bronzeback Tree Snake, Checkered Keelback, Indian Rock Python, Narrow-mouthed Frogs, Marbled Balloon Frogs, Dobson's Burrowing Frogs, Tree Frogs, Cricket Frogs, Bullfrogs, Bombay Bush Frogs, Amboli Bush Frogs, Plateau Geckos, and Skinks. They rely on tree cover for shelter and forage across the plateau and in nearby villages, creating a unique ecosystem and food web.
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According to extensive documentation by Savio Fonseca, an enthusiastic and passionate ecologist from Socorro, of the 462 bird species found in Goa, around 266 are found on the Socorro plateau. These include the Great Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, Blue-eared Kingfisher, Puff-throated Babbler, Racket-tailed Drongo, Bronzed Drongo, Indian Pitta, Slaty-legged Crake, Black-hooded Oriole, Grey-headed Bulbul, White-browed Bulbul, Vernal Hanging Parrot, Common Rosefinch, Jerdon's and Gold-fronted Leafbirds, Grey Junglefowl, Crested Serpent Eagle, Flowerpeckers, and nocturnal birds like the Indian Scops Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Barn Owl, Spot-bellied Eagle Owl, Savanna Nightjar, Indian Nightjar, and Jerdon's Nightjar.
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Involved in the village Panchayat in Soccoro and the Documentation of bird species and other forms of Biodiversity in Soccoro plateau since 2012
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According to extensive documentation by Savio Fonseca, an enthusiastic and passionate ecologist from Socorro, of the 462 bird species found in Goa, around 266 are found on the Socorro plateau. These include the Great Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, Blue-eared Kingfisher, Puff-throated Babbler, Racket-tailed Drongo, Bronzed Drongo, Indian Pitta, Slaty-legged Crake, Black-hooded Oriole, Grey-headed Bulbul, White-browed Bulbul, Vernal Hanging Parrot, Common Rosefinch, Jerdon's and Gold-fronted Leafbirds, Grey Junglefowl, Crested Serpent Eagle, Flowerpeckers, and nocturnal birds like the Indian Scops Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Barn Owl, Spot-bellied Eagle Owl, Savanna Nightjar, Indian Nightjar, and Jerdon's Nightjar.
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Involved in the village Panchayat in Soccoro and the Documentation of bird species and other forms of Biodiversity in Soccoro plateau since 2012
Water and Ecology
Plateaus are rock formations that support life and biodiversity, standing out for their height and flat surfaces. One of the most important features of plateaus is their ability to store rainwater in porous laterite aquifers, slowly releasing fresh water throughout the year as springs, streams, and rivers. This plateau plays a vital role in our ecosystem by acting as a watershed, storing water during the monsoon season and supplying the village with fresh water through springs and streams.
When plateaus absorb groundwater, they help raise groundwater levels, replenish wells and maintain a balanced water table, providing for everyone. This nature of the plateau to maintain groundwater level, ensures that the wells by the river are full of fresh water, creating a natural barrier to keep saline water from ruining crops and intruding into freshwater sources.
Socorro is located at an elevation of 24 meters, with the plateau standing at 82 meters, constantly overlooking the village as a provider and guardian, not just to Socorro but to all the seven surrounding villages: Salvador do Mundo, Pomburpa, Olaulim, Nachinola, Bastora, and Ucassaim. These villages depend on freshwater from wells, canals, and springs, which serve as natural hydro systems sustaining various cultivation practices.
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Socorro is located at an elevation of 24 meters, with the plateau standing at approximately 60 meters, constantly overlooking the village as a provider and guardian, not just to Socorro but to all the seven surrounding villages: Salvador do Mundo, Pomburpa, Olaulim, Nachinola, Bastora, and Ucassaim. These villages depend on freshwater from wells, canals, and springs, which serve as natural hydro systems sustaining various cultivation practices.
The Socorro plateau plays a crucial role in the water ecology of these villages. It acts as a watershed, absorbing rainwater during the monsoon and supplying fresh water through springs and streams. This absorption raises groundwater levels, replenishing wells and maintaining a balanced water table, providing for Socorro and the surrounding villages. The plateau also ensures the wells by the river are full of fresh water, creating a natural barrier to keep saline water at bay from ruining crops and intruding into freshwater sources.
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The Socorro plateau plays a crucial role in the water ecology of these villages. It acts as a watershed, absorbing rainwater during the monsoon and supplying fresh water through springs and streams. This absorption raises groundwater levels, replenishing wells and maintaining a balanced water table, providing for Socorro and the surrounding villages. The plateau also ensures the wells by the river are full of fresh water, creating a natural barrier to keep saline water at bay from ruining crops and intruding into freshwater sources.
Status of Plateaus
Plateaus in Goa have often been labelled as barren land and turned into hubs for development. Rampant changes in land use, urbanisation, and the development of industrial areas have reduced their green cover and consistently threatened the wildlife and biodiversity. Plateaus like Porvorim have seen rapid development in housing and urbanisation over the last 15 years, leading to various groundwater issues due to borewell drilling and improper sewage systems. “Plateau areas act like sponges, absorbing rainfall and helping to recharge groundwater. Sufficient groundwater prevents saline water from intruding into the groundwater on the coast. Certain low-lying areas on the North Goa coast already find their well water saline due to rapid construction activities on plateaus like Porvorim and Kadamba” (Water Resource Department Official, The Times of India, 13th December 2018).
The Pillern-Saligao plateau was converted into an industrial area in 1994, spanning 489,225 sq. m with approximately 138 factories. This transformation, along with a garbage dump, now pollutes local groundwater, affecting springs and streams. These urbanised plateaus follow an unsustainable development model, becoming a template for other plateaus under consideration for planning and development, which will eventually lead to problems for both human residents and the ecology. This industrial plateau borders the villages of Saipem and Candolim, where residents constantly complain about groundwater and air pollution from toxic gases. In 2013, a fire at the Berger Becker paint factory, due to improper storage of flammable materials, highlighted these issues.
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“I have seen in the last two and half years a marked increase in throwing of construction debris on the plateau”
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Doctor and environmentalist
The Pillern-Saligao plateau was converted into an industrial area in 1994, spanning 489,225 sq. m with approximately 138 factories. This transformation, along with a garbage dump, now pollutes local groundwater, affecting springs and streams. These urbanised plateaus follow an unsustainable development model, becoming a template for other plateaus under consideration for planning and development, which will eventually lead to problems for both human residents and the ecology. This industrial plateau borders the villages of Saipem and Candolim, where residents constantly complain about groundwater and air pollution from toxic gases. In 2013, a fire at the Berger Becker paint factory, due to improper storage of flammable materials, highlighted these issues.
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Vishnu Naik, a village resident, spoke about groundwater pollution from improper drainage methods by industries, stating, "This started five years ago. We protested and got the units shut down, but they reopened after taking superficial measures. The pollution has continued. All the water from the nullah gathers in a pond on my property, which was used for drinking by my cows and other animals. They all died because the water was contaminated. Even the wild boars and monkeys have vanished. All my cashew trees and bamboo, which are my business, have withered away" (22nd October 2013).
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Vishnu Naik, a village resident, spoke about groundwater pollution from improper drainage methods by industries, stating, "This started five years ago. We protested and got the units shut down, but they reopened after taking superficial measures. The pollution has continued. All the water from the nullah gathers in a pond on my property, which was used for drinking by my cows and other animals. They all died because the water was contaminated. Even the wild boars and monkeys have vanished. All my cashew trees and bamboo, which are my business, have withered away" (22nd October 2013).
PILERNE PANCHAYAT
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LAND USES
Current Threats to the Plateau
Construction, of any form, is detrimental to the plateau's environment. Building along the slopes disrupts the natural flow of water and reduces absorption into the earth, causing excess water to flow into low-lying areas like fields, which can lead to flooding and ruin crops. Many animals are forced to move deeper into the plateau due to excessive human interaction and habitat displacement on the fringes caused by unsustainable rapid development. In the past five years, development has been rampant throughout the village. If this pace continues, we will soon see less and less of the greenery that exists today. Garbage is a menace to the whole ecosystem. It not only pollutes the soil but also attracts wildlife such as reptiles, which hide and hunt for prey foraging in the trash. Materials like plastic, if ingested, can damage their digestive tract or cause choking and death. There is a huge waste dump that was once used for the village. This dump has been burnt, and more glass and ceramic waste continues to be added.
Additionally, there is a lot of glass scattered across the plateau due to irresponsible drinking, which can be dangerous for both humans and animals traversing the area.
- Plateaus act as natural water reservoirs. Construction disrupts this, leading to reduced water absorption and increased runoff, which can cause flooding in low-lying areas.
- In Goa, rapid urbanisation has led to a 60 per cent decrease in green cover over the past two decades (Forest Survey of India).
- Wildlife displacement due to habitat loss is a growing concern. Species like the Indian Palm Civet and various reptiles have been increasingly moving into deeper parts of the plateau.
- Plastic pollution is a significant threat to wildlife. Studies show that over 90 per cent of reptiles found in polluted areas have ingested plastic, leading to severe health issues and fatalities (Journal of Wildlife Management, 2021).
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The Socorro plateau is incredibly biodiverse, supporting numerous species of birds, animals, and plants. As one of the last green lungs in Bardez, it contrasts sharply with other plateaus overtaken by development, losing green cover and polluting the environment. The plateau faces significant threats from major construction projects, such as the proposed IT park, and various developments encroaching on its edges. We must learn from the irreversible environmental damage caused by unsustainable development on other plateaus. By adopting sustainable practices, we can conserve the Socorro plateau and its resources for the future, ensuring that this vital green space remains intact.
Bibliography & References
“‘Foul’ Surprise at Visit to Pilerne Industrial Estate.” The Times of India, October21,2013. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/foul-surprise-at-visit-to-pilerne-industrial-estate/articleshow/24505906.cms.
“Preserving a Small World on Goan Plateaus,” oHeraldo, September 9, 2022, https://www.heraldgoa.in/Cafe/Preserving-a-small-world-on-Goan-plateaus/193801.
Times Of India, “On Goa’s Lateritic Plateaus, Researchers Discover a New Species of Flowering Plant,” The Times of India, January 28, 2022, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/on-goas-lateritic-plateaus-researchers-discover-a-new-species-of-flowering-plant/articleshow/89188726.cms.
Paul Fernandes, “Din Over Socorro Plateau Run Wakes up Village Biodiversity Committee,” The Times of India, August 5, 2019,
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/din-over-socorro-plateau-run-wakes-up-village-biodiversity-committee/articleshow/70527755.cms
“Socorro Plateau, North Goa, Goa, India - eBird Hotspot,” August 5, 2024, https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2890802.
Hunter Usdrowski, “Geological Formation and Conservation Efforts of Plateaus,” J Geogr Nat Disasters 14–14, no. 1 (March 19, 2024): 303–303, https://doi.org/10.35841/2167-0587.24.14.303.
20,000 years ago, Mandovi and Zuari flowed as one river. (2016, May 9). Retrieved from
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/20000-years-ago-mandovi-and-zuari-flowed-as-one-river/amp_articleshow/52181438.cms
Government of Goa et al., “Dudhsagar” (Department of Environment & Climate Change, Government of Goa, December 2020), https://gsbb.goa.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Dudhsagar.pdf.
“Socorro Plateau Topographic Map, Elevation, Terrain,” Topographic Maps, n.d., https://en-in.topographic-map.com/map-cfq3cz/Socorro-Plateau/.
Interview with Albert Goveya: 30th May. 17:00, Maina Socorro
Interview with Andrew Perreira: 5th June. 13:00, Maina Socorro
Interview with Alvito Dsouza: 11th June. 09:30, Pomburpa
Interview with Fernando Velho: 31 May, 11:00, Aradi, Socorro
Interview with Fredric Noronha: 28th May, 17:00, Sonarbhat, Socorro
Interview with Gregory Perreira: 5th July, 19:00, Carrem, Socorro
Inerview with Maryanne Lobo:5th July, 16:00, Mapusa
Interview with Savio Fonseca: 23rd June, 18:00, Porvorim
Interview with Sigmund De Souza: 31st June, 17:00, Porvorim
Interview with Solano Da Silva, 23r May, 12:00, Pillerne
Acknowledgements
Albert Goveya, knowledge of the village, stories and history of the ward of Maina.
Andrew Perreira, Insights into the village, its ecology and stories of the village.
Alvito Dsouza, insight into the Pomburpa BMC and the work they have done.
Dylan Rosario, credit for images shot of fauna found on and around the plateau.
Fernando Velho, insight into urban development and the effects of it.
Fredric Noronha, helping with research and using his private library.
Gregory Perreira, sharing a local insight into the lives of people of the village.
Maryanne Lobo, Insight into varios plant species found across the plateau.
Savio Fonseca, sharing insight on his expertise on birds, ecology of the plateau and his work as part of the BMC of Socorro. Credits for photographs of birds spotted on the plateau.
Sigmund De Souza, sharing insights about the village and the system of comunidade.
Shyam Kamat, connecting with people of the vaddo and village.
Solano Da Silva, helping with maps, articles and knowledge of plateaus.
