PORVORIM: CM Pramod Sawant raised serious concerns about illegal encroachments of forest land, including the protected areas like wildlife sanctuaries, by non-forest dwellers.
Sawant said that the forest dwellers need to be alert and intimate the govt, whenever there are illegal encroachments, for necessary immediate action.
Independent Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar had raised the issue, pointing out to the fear and apprehensions in the minds of people from Sanguem and Quepem, regarding the declaration of around 12 villages, forming part of Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary as Eco-Sensitive Areas (ESAs). He said that the local habitants were not taken into confidence while declaring ESZs.
The MLAs also alleged that the habitants are harassed by forest officials while seeking permissions for repair or construction of houses. The villages of Patiem, Tudou, Potrem, Salauli, Naiquinim, Curdi, Cumbari, Viliena, Bati, Sigonem, Portem, Dongar, which forms part of Netravali WLS, are declared as ESZs and Uguem village which forms part of Bhagwan Mahaveer WLS, Gaonkar said.
Replying to it, Sawant said the State has approached the MoEF with a proposal to include 69 villages, which forms part of wildlife sanctuaries, ESAs of Western Ghat. He added that people will have no issues as far as practising their traditional agriculture and plantation activities, as well as there is no restriction on repair or extension or renovation of existing residential houses as per prevailing laws and regulations. He said the Centre had initially issued a draft notification in 2015 for inclusion of 99 villages in the ESZs. “However, the State government approached Ministry to include only 69 villages, which form part of notified WLS of Mhadei, Bondla, Bhagwan Mahaveer, Netravali and Cotigao,” he said. Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral said that the villages pointed out by the MLAs, are already part of ESAs being part of WLSs. He said that majority of the activities are either permitted or regulated. He said that commercial mining, stone quarrying, setting up of new saw mill, industries causing pollution, use of plastic carry bags, etc, are prohibited.
