For the 34 families who livein Cotigao wildlife sanctuary it’s a sorry tale of unfulfilled promises.
When Cotigao was declared awildlife sanctuary, the villagers in the area were promised to berehabilitated. But more than two decades down the line the promises remain justthat.
Five villages namely Endre,Moraphanamal, Bhutpal, Nadke and Keri are located inside the Cotgao wildlifesanctuary.
The villagers lack basicnecessities like water, electricity and road connectivity.
“The basic necessities arepending due to delay in rehabilitation of the families in the wild lifesanctuary,” said Neena Gaonkar, Sarpanch of the Cotigao village panchayat.
The panchayat has no role toplay because the area is notified as wildlife sanctuary. If yet all we providethem NOCs for connections, the forest overrules us, the sarpanch disclosed.
There are no schools in theclose vicinity of these villages. The nearest school to these villages is at adistance of 5 kilometers. The Keri villagers have to walk at least 13kilometers to get a bus to reach to the town.
Shanu Velip a resident ofBhutpal village said: “ The Government is ready to give us land to constructhouses. But who will give us our agricultural land? That is the only sourcethrough which we earn our daily bread.”
The local MLA and Tribalwelfare minister Ramesh Tawadkar said that in 2010 the Congress government hadproposed shifting of these families, but the villagers hesitated due tounavailability of agricultural land. “All the issues including shifting andland for farming will now be carried out under the Forest Tribal Act,” Tawadkarsaid.
The Keri village which issituated on top of the mountain will be shifted to a suitable place outside thewildlife sanctuary, the minister added.
All the families dwellinginside the sanctuary are tribals (mostly Velips). They live a happy life andhave no complaints only because of love towards agriculture. “If governmentprovides us alternate fertile land where we will be shifted, we don’t have anyissues of migrating” said Anand Gaonkar, a resident of Nadke village.
“Every MLA makes emptyassurances during elections. They even walk long distances to beg for votes butnever turn up after they get elected,” said Devu Gaonkar, resident of Kerivillage.
