PERNEM: Strongly objecting to proposed link road from Sukekolan, Dhargal to Tulaskarwadi, the affected farmers from Mopa on Saturday sought help from local MLA and Deputy Chief Minister Manohar (Babu) Ajgaonkar and Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to resolve their problems.
Under the banner Dhargal Mopa Shetkari Sangharsh Samiti, the affected farmers have started their agitation objecting to the 8-km long and 120 metre wide link road from Sukekolan Dhargal to Tulaskarwadi. However, before this agitation could intensify, the villagers had held a meeting with Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant.
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“The Chief Minister had assured to have another meeting with the affected farmers after the demarcation is completed. As per the assurance, we request the CM to give us an opportunity and seek his intervention into this matter to find a solution,” said Bharat Bagkar, former president of Pernem Citizens Forum and resident of Dhargal.
“During our meeting with the Chief Minster we had demanded to divert the road and had also suggested an alternate option, where the road could be shifted. We had also highlighted why this link road is not feasible at the presently proposed land. The CM had also told us that after the government officials finish demarcation of the proposed land for link road he would also undertake demarcation of land suggested by the farmers. However, till date, it has not happened,” informed Bagkar.
Alleging that the State government is forcibly grabbing the land of farmers, Manoj Salgaonkar, a farmer from Tulaskarwadi said, “The government is forcibly trying to grab our land but we strongly object to this act of the government. Most of the land is already acquired for the airport project and now the government wants to acquire remaining land for the proposed link road.”
“Without having proper documentation and consent of the villagers, the surveys are conducted behind the back of the farmers. We want to ask who have given them the right to trespass into our land,” Salgaonkar questioned.
“Though the State government has completed the demarcation, we will continue to agitate. Every day, the women from the village will go and sit in the forest area in protest to the government act to grab the land,” he said.
Ankush Arondekar, another farmer, alleged that the Central government is being run by Ambani and the State government by Jaidev Modi and such other people.
“The State government is not ready to divert the road because this link road is directly going to benefit Jaidev Modi who is planning to set up casino project at Dhargal. We condemn this decision of the government to have the link road by destroying sugarcane, cashew and mango plantation, paddy fields and more on which the famers are completely dependent on and which is also passing through the residential area affecting around 150 to 200 families,” Arondekar claimed.
“We also condemn the government act to complete demarcation process by using police force. Police are supposed to protect us but this police are working against the common man. The land acquisition officer initially took objections from us but did not take any measures on that and continued with demarcation,” Arondekar added.
“Pernem MLA, who claimed to be a servant of his constituency people, should show how much he is concerned about his people by taking corrective steps to solve this issue by diverting the road,” Arondekar claimed.
