SANGUEM: Tension gripped Vargan Bandwada ward of Netraveli village after incensed villagers gathered to stop Forest Department officials from constructing a structure under the cover of the night.
The dispute arose as the structure sought to be erected by the department is on land which is under dispute with the department claiming it to be theirs and the villagers rejecting this. The matter is presently pending before the High Court.
Forest Department officials on January 24 morning began constructing a structure which they said was a patrolling station to protect the flora and fauna of the sanctuary. However, seeing the agitated mood of the villagers, the department stopped the work as protesters insisted that the department produce orders from the court or whoever has directed them to construct the structure and added that they needed to discuss the matter within themselves first before permitting the work to be continued.
However, in the evening the Forest Department once again started the construction work and this incensed the villagers who accused the department of trying to complete the work clandestinely under the cover of darkness.
Tension prevailed as the Forest Officials could not furnish work orders, prompting panchayat member Rakhi Naik to intervene and prevailed upon the Forest Department officials to stop the work for the moment.
Forest Department’s senior officials who reached the site at around 11 pm tried to assure the people that they would construct only a temporary structure which would be removed if the court order was in favour of the villagers but the villagers refused to listen to this and demanded that the land be restored to its original state.
The department’s plea that they were ordered to set up patrolling stations within a time period was also rejected by the villagers who insisted that nothing should be done till the matter was thoroughly discussed with the villages first. Fortunately, Rakhi Naik prevailed in dissipating the crowd after she convinced the Forest officials to halt the work till the villagers decide on the matter.
