Team Herald
SANGUEM: Netravali villagers on Saturday held a meeting to oppose classification of adjoining villages as eco-sensitive zone.
The meeting was held at Wadem Colony No 1, where the speakers called upon all the villagers to remain united, irrespective of party affiliations, and fight for the withdrawal of the notification classifying Netravali as a precinct of wildlife sanctuary.
Addressing the huge gathering, Agriculturist Chandan Unnankar said, “It is now or never. If the villages are declared as eco sensitive zone, then the living of people in their own houses and conduct of agricultural and dairy operations will be made difficult.”
“While animals will have an upper hand, people living within the precincts of the eco-sensitive zone will have hard time to undertake any development works in their own properties,” he said.
He claimed that the people are already facing the wrath at the hands of the forest officials with the declaration of Netravali Wild Life Sanctuary.
Legal advisor Adv Anand Gaonkar explained what would be the plight of the villagers if the notification is not objected to at the very beginning.
“The villagers residing in eco-sensitive zone will not be able to construct houses or sheds for the cattle. There will be no development in the village. No new roads. Even the laying of new pipelines in the villages will be an ardent task,” Gaonkar claimed.
Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar informed the gathering that he had raised the issue pertaining to declaration of eco-sensitive zone in the Assembly session.
Gaonkar urged the people to remain united on the issue to get the notification withdrawn as otherwise the villagers will have to face severe difficulties once the notification comes into force.
Bhati Sarpanch Uday Naik and Panch Manoj Paryekar also spoke on the occasion.
