Team Herald
CANACONA: The villagers of Cotigao along with Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Sunday stopped construction work being carried out by the Forest Department at Piplamal, here.
The Forest Department had started excavation work with JCBs to build a house in Piplamal, near the Cotigao sanctuary. When the work was going on, the villagers became restive and immediately contacted the Sarpanch Vrinda Velip and requested her to come to the construction site.
The sarpanch assured them to come to the site, but failed to do so.
The irate villagers questioned the forest guard and asked him to produce the work order. On seeing the agitated villagers, the guard fled from the spot saying that would go to the office and bring the order.
Interestingly, at the same time there was a gram sabha at the Cotigao village panchayat and the villagers rushed there and raised the issue.
The Sarpanch then informed the Canacona MLA and Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar about the incident and who immediately reached the spot, but no workers from Forest Department was present at that time.
The Speaker assured the villagers that the department would not go ahead with the construction if it was against the wishes of the people.
Forest Department official Ashwita Desai immediately arrived at the site and said that what they are doing was completely legal and advised the people to help them to preserve the forest.
RTI activist Kalpesh Gaonkar alleged that the Forest Department was using JCBs which had no details and that the work was started on Sunday being a holiday and demanded that locals be taken into confidence before embarking on any such projects.