CANACONA
Deputy Speaker and Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes on Friday said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has directed forest officials to meet the residents of Gaondongrim following objections to the demarcation of forestland in the village.
A group of villagers from Gaondongrim called on Fernandes at his office in the Secretariat on Friday and complained about the demarcation of forestland and Kumeri plots of the villagers.
They accused forest officials of starting demarcation work of reserve forestland by installing poles in properties which are in possession of locals.
Fernandes then sought an urgent appointment with Sawant and then took the delegation to meet him.
The villagers discussed the reserved forest issue and submitted documents relevant in connection with the government property, bearing Surveys 3/0 and 6/0 of Gaondongrim village under Kumeri rights with the families since 1964-65.
“Kumeri land was allotted to us during the tenure of Goa’s first chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar,” Ulhas Gaonkar one of the villagers, told the CM.
Fernandes said the chief minister later instructed DCF Shetgaonkar, Canacona RFO Anant Velip to visit the site and resolve the matter within four-five days.
A fortnight ago, Fernandes and Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar held met the aggrieved Gaondongrim locals and had assured that their issues would be discussed with the CM.
