Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA: Khotigao villagers in a representation to the Dy. Collector has demanded immediate closure of the construction being carried out by the Forest department at Piplamoll in Khotigao area.
In a representation dated 24/03/2025, villagers informed that the Forest Department itself is doing many things under the pretext of protecting and conserving the forest in the Khotigao area of Canacona taluka, near human settlements and in the deep forest. ‘Due to the activity of the Forest Department, no protection and conservation work is being carried out for the forest. On the contrary, this disrupts the biological chain in the forest and destroys the forest, creating many problems for wildlife’.
The representation further informs that currently, the Forest Department has started the work of constructing a construction site adjacent to the main road at Piplamal in Khotigao. On 23/02/2025, all the people had come together and asked the Forest Department to close the work. At that time, canacona MLA and Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar had visited the spot. He had advised the Forest Department that if there was opposition from the people, the department should stop the work.’
‘This issue was also discussed a lot in the Gram Sabha held of Khotigao village and resolution was passed that the Forest Department and no one else should not do any work in the village area without obtaining a no-objection certificate from the local Panchayat. However, the Forest Department has started working again from 21/03/2025.’
It is further stated that the forest Department started construction in a similar way a few years ago at Yeda on the road leading to Nadke and Keri villages in Khotingao Panchayat area. When people inquired about it, the Department said that they were building this for the forest workers to rest.
They had made it clear to the people that they would not do anything else besides that, whereas within a few years, they built a check post at that place, and at the same time, the people of both Nadke and Keri villages were constantly being questioned and repeatedly harassed.
If the forest department builds a construction in Piplamal, the people of Nadke Keri will be harassed regularly, while the people of Yeda, Kusken, Baddem villages will be harassed in the future. Therefore, the people of Khotigao are completely opposed to this construction and the District Collector should stop this work and keep the people of the village free from harassment.’ people demanded.
