SANGUEM
The Kalay Panchayat has petitioned the State government for a full-time Forest Settlement Officer (FSO) who can be available in the village at least twice a week to address the claims of residents in the village who have been severely affected by the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary notification.
A memorandum was submitted to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant by Kalay Sarpanch Bablo Kharat, who was elected on Monday, when a delegation from the Kalay panchayat met the chief minister in the presence of PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar.
In a memorandum to the chief minister, the Kalay sarpanch stated that the notification in respect of the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary had been issued by the State government and public objections had been invited.
“Most villagers affected with the notification filed written objections before authorities concerned along with all title and other relevant documents which they were in possession of. However, some villagers could not file their respective claims on account of illiteracy and insufficient knowledge.”
Kharat stated that despite receiving claims from affected claimants, the FSO was not appointed by the government for a considerable time.
“The FSO was then appointed by the government to deal with affected claimants and started handling the matter in Valpoi. Despite all difficulties of transportation and despite the long distance of the FSO court, the claimants from Kalay started attending the matter in Valpoi so that they would get justice and that, their properties would be excluded from the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary.”
The Kalay sarpanch was all praise for then FSO Narayan Navti and said he had handled the matter very diligently by visiting Kalay. “After recording the evidence, he passed the orders in some cases, recommending that properties of the respective claimants would be recommended to be excluded from the wildlife sanctuary.”
“Even the officer realised that the notification was not fair to the Kalay village as the entire residential area of Kalay village comes under the wildlife sanctuary and this includes the Kalay railway station,” said Kharat.
“Thereafter, as per request of all claimants, the FSO started conducting the matter at Mollem. However, almost all FSOs after Navti were appointed with an additional charge and as such could not give full time to dispose of the matter.”
The sarpanch stated that due to the Covid pandemic, applications of the claimants could not be handled since March, leaving a backlog of pending claims.
“Considering the genuine difficulties and considering the transportation problems to attend to the matter, the Kalay villagers have demanded a full-time FSO to deal with the claims of villagers.”
“It is the request of villagers to make arrangements to have the FSO stationed within the vicinity of the Kalay panchayat, at least twice a week, to ensure justice to the claimants, who have been waiting for years,” added Kharat.
