the goan I network
SANGUEM
Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar on Wednesday directed the PWD to repair the bad road leading to Salgini, Tudov and Verlem in Netravali village.
Gaonkar along with government and panchayat officials on Wednesday visited Netravali to inspect the bad road, following problems faced by villagers in these hilly areas and to ascertain necessary measures to address the situation.
While directing PWD official (Roads) Sanjay Vaze to undertake immediate repairs of the road in the village, the MLA also asked PWD officials to draw plans to widen the road.
Goankar also asked the Sanguem Electricity Department assistant engineer to install street lights as the road does not have street lights in view of objections by the Forest department to undertake any development work in the village.
Incidentally, a forest officer who accompanied the team to the village assured to give all clearances to undertake road widening work and to install street lights in the village wherever necessary.
So far, Forest department officials have been opposing development works in the village on grounds that Netravali is declared as a wildlife sanctuary.
But with the forest officer giving a green signal, the PWD and Electricity department now hope to go ahead with the works.
A few days ago, villagers themselves began repairing the dilapidated road when authorities failed to get the work done, after a warning by the KTC to stop plying the lone bus service in the village if the road was not improved.
Netravali Sarpanch Archana Gaonkar and panchayat member Prakash Bhagat also accompanied Gaonkar during his visit to the village and gave their suggestions for immediate development works in the village.
Netravali villagers demand removal of village from wild life century jurisdiction
PANAJI: The villagers from Netravali submitted a memorandum to Agriculture Minister Babu Kavlekar with a demand to remove the village from the jurisdiction of Netravali Wild Life Century (NWLS). The villagers alleged harassment by forest officials.
Local MLA Prasad Gaonkar was also present along with the delegation when they met the agriculture minister.
The villagers allege that they cannot enjoy any property rights on the place where they and their ancestors have been living for generations.
The forest officials have erected gates across the road and villagers are regularly checked at these gates. Around 5,000 people stay in the village.
Villagers also claim that they can’t do any development work in the village as Forest department raises objections. There are restriction even on agriculture activities in the village which is a buffer zone for the wild life century.
