Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA – After the Jagruti Nagarik Sanghatana of Khotingao opposed the construction of a checkpost by Forest Department at Piplamall-Khotigao in Canacona taluka, the reported statement of Canacona MLA and Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar that there is no reason to oppose this base (Checkpost) and that some of the people who are opposing it have their eyes on forest wood and if a check post exists, then the wood will not be smuggled, invites strong protests from the villagers.
Addressing a news conference at Chaudi on Saturday, Khotigao citizens under the banner of Khotigao Jagruti Nagarik Sanghatana have protested against this statement of Canacona MLA/Speaker. ‘We won’t lag behind but widen our protests amongst all the villages and entire constituency to garner support and agitate and even block roads, if illegal construction is not stopped at Pimplamall.’
‘We strongly oppose and protest against this statement directed against all the villagers of Khotigao. The Jagruti Nagarik Sanghatana consists only of people from the village. When we went to give a memorandum in the Panchayat, two or four people from Canacona (outside Khotigao) accompanied us and spoke on various issues and had come to extend their support to us. And these people cannot steal wood from Khotigao because the Forest Department has check posts at Partagal, Bhatpal and Ambe Ghat. The people of Khotigao have been living in complete association with the forest till date, and so the forest is our life. Then,our MLA (Tawadkar) should clarify as to who exactly he is addressing with the language of theft. After all, Tawadkar, who is claiming to work for making the village free of trouble, should not create trouble in our peaceful Khotigao and should not do politics out of people’s legitimate demands. When the people came together to stop the construction of the Forest Department, Tawadkar had rushed to the spot at that time and asked the workers to stop the work saying it should not be carried out if local people do not want it, and now the same Tawadkar is saying that there is no reason to oppose this same construction? Then why did Tawadkar rush to the spot at that time and asked them to stop the work? This double role of Tawadkar proves that he is doing politics in people’s social demands.’ Sanghatana members spoke in unison.
‘Unfortunately, at present a government official and the Speaker Tawadkar are talking about the former Sarpanch of Khotigao, Umesh Gaonkar, without taking his name. But when he (Umesh) was the Sarpanch, he himself stopped the construction started on the Avali-Dandiya and now, let alone the present Sarpanch, even the Speaker is not able to stop this work, so he targets ex-sarpanch, so what is the value of the Speaker..?’ stated one of the villagers.
‘Another thing is that if Tawadkar wants such a checkpoint, he should build it on the road in his ward of Amone, and we have no objection to it’, stated Kalpesh Gaonkar.
Forest department officials claim that a contractor is producing jaggery in the village and is bringing truckloads of wood for that work. Along with the seasonal jaggery production project, there are other seasonal projects like cashew distillation units and others which need firewood, and all the people of Khotigao use dry wood from the forest for firewood for cooking, and for their related activities. Had the forest department conducted checks on illegal hoardings of woods from forest anywhere or on anyone in the village? Without checks how, can responsible forest officials shoot in the air?’, asked the speakers at the press conference meeting.
These people do not allow traditional pathways to the people who have been living for decades, but these very people have made paths and roads in the dense forest for people from all over the world to wander/roam.
While providing basic necessities to the people in the forest, these people do not allow the use of any machine or vehicle, but they themselves work with machines like JCB amidst the dense forest.
Because of the attitude of these officials, there is still no road in Nadkem- Keri village. The road in Pansulemal village is half-finished.
@- The people of Malli village had to boycott voting at the previous Lok Sabha polls for the road.
‘At present, it has not been decided how the issue will be taken forward, but we, the people, will take it forward legally step by step’, said Dilkush Gaonkar.
Gajanan Velip, Krishna Gaonkar, were amongst several others who were present and spoke at the press briefing at Chaudi on Saturday
