SANGUEM: Condemning the State government for decision declaring Netravali village as eco-sensitive zone, the villagers on Sunday strongly accused the State of taking such an important decision without taking them into confidence.
They further demanded that decision be withdrawn at the earliest failing which they threatened to come on the road.
At a meeting held in Ganeshotsav Mandal, Netravali-Sanguem, Deputy Sarpanch Abhijit Desai said, “Once the notification comes into force, all the rights of the villagers despite owning the land will be taken away and the locals will not be able to undertake any development works. Once declared as eco sensitive zone, the animals will have an upper hand and a time will come when the villagers will be compelled to starve despite having vast land in their possession.”
“Not only Netravali, but the people residing in the adjoining villages will also be severely affected once the notification comes into force. On one hand, the government wants youth to foray into agriculture, on the other hand it is making a backdoor declaration of certain villages as eco sensitive zones, which intends to take away all the rights of the villagers even from undertaking agricultural plantation,” claimed Desai.
“Once the notification comes into force, the animals will move freely in the village and damage the agricultural plantations. The villagers will be mere spectators to the damage caused by animals to their plantations,” Desai informed.
South Goa Zilla Panchayat chairperson Navnath Naik called upon the villagers to take up the issue of eco sensitive zone seriously along with other affected villagers. “Once Netravali is declared as eco sensitive zone, it will have serious affect on the lives on the people residing in the villages, coming under the zone precincts,” Naik said.
Asserting that almost 95 percent of Netravali village would come under Eco Sensitive zone, Naik questioned the logic of the government in declaring the villages as eco sensitive zone without taking the villagers into confidence.
Naik urged the people to remain united on the issue and oppose the declaration in toto till the government withdraws it.
