Even after over 60 years of India’s Independence and more than 50 years of Goa’s independence, villages in Sanguem, Quepem and Cancona live in total exile from development and basic needs. These tribal villagers dependent primarily on farming to earn just enough for survival. However, the people are not amused by the idea of shifting to towns and prefer living in their village with what they have.
The Forest Department is making attempts to rehabilitate the villagers of Verle, Salgini and Tudva situated in Sanguem near the Karnataka State border. For the love of their village, the villagers have pledged to live with the bare minimum resources they have and have rejected the offer of the forest department of rehabilitation.
Years ago, the hilly region of Sanguem taluka was declared as a Forest Reserve Area and while notifying the area as protected forest. Tribal families living in these areas were totally ignored by the authorities. The decision was taken without taking any of the villagers into confidence. These families have been living in these forest regions for 100’s of years and earn a living dependent on fields and cashew plantations. The needs of these subsistence level farmers are minimal. Neither are there education facilities nor medical aid.
The people of Verle, Salgini and Tudva have been living on the mountain tops in these conditions for centuries now. Tudva village houses 42 families, Salgini houses 21 and Verle village has 100 families. These villages fall under the Netravalli Village panchayat and are over 30 kilometres away in the mountains from the nearest market place.
Recently the road leading to these villages has been tarred which has improved transportation to and fro from the village. The Tudav village has a blessing of perennial water in the form of springs which may be the reason there are no taps in the village. In fact, the village just recently got electricity. Education only till Grade 4 has compelled students to travel 30 km away to schools in Sanguem and Curchorem and to Quepem and Margao for Higher education. A solitary Kadamba Bus and a private bus takes the villagers to Sanguem in the morning. However the villagers have to wait till evening for the return bus to the village. There is a Sub-Health Centre which has been dormant for months because of the absence of a Medical Officer and nurse.
The strictures laid by the Forest Department prevent the villagers from getting firewood from the forest. Villagers haven’t got any benefit of the Forest Rights Act.
The Forest Department is hosting regular meetings of the villagers and getting feedback. The area being a reserve forest, attempts are being made by the Forest Department and the Government to rehabilitate the villagers.
Recently, the Forest Department Officials had a meeting with the villagers of Verle in the Saptakoteshwar Temple and gathered their reactions on the rehabilitation plans. A discussion was held on what facilities the people of Verle want if at all they are ready to shift elsewhere. A senior citizen of Verle and the former Panch of the village, Narayan Gaonkar flatly rejecting the offer said that they won’t give up their village for anything. “40 years ago, I had acquired education with a lot of difficulty. Back then there were no roads, electricity, transportation and other basic facilities. 15-16 children studied in one small hut. Now the conditions have changed as there is electricity, road and transportation too which enables the children of the village to acquire education up to 10th and 12th grade. Moreover, we are not going to shift anywhere leaving our Gods here,” a confident Narayan Gaonkar said while speaking to Herald.
“The Forest Department may have had a meeting with the villagers regarding rehabilitation; however the people of the village won’t leave the village and settle elsewhere,” said the panch of the village, Satish Gaonkar.
The Range Forest Officer of the Netravalli Range Prakash Salelkar says, “None of the villagers in Tudav, Verle and Salgini, have been forced to shift and settle elsewhere. The idea of the meetings in the villages is to think over how to initiate the process and find out what are the expectations the villagers. We will go ahead only if the villagers are ready for rehabilitation. Feedback will be forwarded to the senior officials and later a committee will be appointed to study the intricacies,” said Salelkar. “Honest attempts are being made to take the opinions of all the villagers into consideration and to solve the issue with minimum hassle,” he added.
