Team Herald
SANGUEM: Given the threats that are likely to be faced by the people living in Sanguem taluka, particularly those residing within the precincts of Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary, a special meeting under the banner of ‘Ganv Suraksha Manch’ was held at the ‘Ganeshotsav Mandal’ Wadem Sanguem on Sunday to oppose the declaration of certain villages in Sanguem Taluka as ‘eco sensitive zone’.
The meeting was attended by over 2000 villagers and was addressed by Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar, Abhijit Dessai and Adv Anand Gaonkar.
Highlighting the draconian rules that would be required to be followed by the villagers residing in the villages declared as eco-sensitive zone, the speakers at the meeting expressed an urgent need to get the notification withdrawn at the earliest failing which the villagers “will compelled to live under the ambit of forest laws.”
MLA Gaonkar urged the people to remain united on the issue of the notification issued by the Government to declare the villages as “Eco Sensitive Zone” as otherwise once put into total effect, the life of the villagers residing in the interiors of the taluka and those having their ancestral lands within the ambit of eco sensitive zone will have to face several hardships in the development of their private lands.
Gaonkar informed the locals that their recent meeting with the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant wherein the latter has promised a delegation of villagers led by Gaonkar of his having a meeting of the heads of various departments on the issue of “Eco Sensitive Zone”.
Gaonkar also informed the villagers that Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant also assured of a meeting with the villagers once he meets the heads of the departments concerned.
At the meeting it was decided to wait for another ten days before taking any final decision in the matter so that Dr Sawant could discuss the issue with the department heads and convey the decision taken by him at the meeting to the villagers.
Adv Gaonkar spoke on the issues concerning the eco sensitive zone and made the people aware of the difficulties that would face on the development front in the villages which come within eco sensitive zone. It is not only the development aspects as that of construction of roads and laying of pipelines, even the permissions for the construction of houses and cattle sheds in one’s own property will be denied by the forest department, informed Gaonkar.
“The situation for wildlife in the villages will be more conducive than that of human beings living in their own houses. There will be severe restrictions on the issue of electricity and other mechanical gadgets after sunset,” Goankar warned.
Abhijit Dessai brought to fore of the high handed behavior of the forest department officials that prevails in Netravali village. There have been several instances in Netravali where the forest department has been found playing foul with the agricultural plantations owned by the villagers.
The development aspect of the village interiors have been severely affected due to the excessive interference of the forest department.
“At some places even the rendering basic facilities as that of construction of proper roads and water supply is affected due to the interference of forest department,” claimed Dessai.
“The declaration of eco sensitive zone needs to be opposed by tooth and nail before it makes its way in the village and for that we all needs to be united,” Dessai said.
At the meeting, the villagers unanimously supported the move by ‘Ganv Suiaksha Manch’ to oppose the declaration of eco sensitive zone and demanded its total scrapping by raising hands.
