Team Herald
PANJIM: Gawada, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED) on Friday demanded to hold back the implementation of Regional Plan 2021 till the scheduled tribal areas are notified.
Addressing the media, GAKUVED general secretary Rupesh S Velip said, “The Goa government has neither identified the scheduled tribal areas nor made necessary reservations in the Goa Assembly for the scheduled tribes nor formed tribes advisory committee as per the schedule or complied with other constitutional provisions.”
He added, “The government, in violation of our fundamental rights and of all constitutional provisions, has come out with the Regional Plan for the State without identifying the scheduled area. It is pertinent to note that the government has not demarcated any scheduled areas in the RP 2021.”
He further said that there is absolutely no provision made in RP 2021 for identifying and notifying tribal areas and without considering their existence, the government has gone ahead with conversion and zone changes of panchayat areas.
“Government has put our culture, our lives and livelihood in danger. This is grave injustice on us. We the scheduled tribes of Goa are solely dependent on the lands in possession and under our cultivation,” Velip said.
GAKUVED has also has demanded with the government to form the Tribal Advisory Council as per provisions of Schedule V under article 244(1).
