Team Herald
PONDA: Tension prevailed at Mollem Panchayat on Friday as around 100 villagers protested against tree felling in Sangod forest for three Central government projects - national highway widening, power transmission lines and double tracking of railway lines - proposed to come up in Mollem.
The locals gheraoed the sarpanch, panchas and questioned them over the tree felling and demanded a special gram sabha and public hearing.
The concerned locals questioned the sarpanch as to how hundreds of trees were felled without the panchayat NOC.
Krishna More, a villager, informed the media that the power transmission lines, national highway widening and double tracking of railway lines projects will destroy the Western Ghats and also the biodiversity of the village.
He said, “On Friday the villagers protested because the panchayat did not respond to our three letters questioning these projects and tree felling done for the projects.”
The locals said without conducting a gram sabha or public hearing they will not allow any project in the village which would pose danger to their locality, livelihood and danger to the environment which is a hotspot for biodiversity as per The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
The locals fear losing their livelihood in case double tracking is done at Dudhsagar Falls, which will also damage the environment.
Sarpanch Tanvi Kerkar said, “The panchayat has not given any NOC to projects and urged the locals not to fall prey to rumours.”
She said, “On Friday a meeting was held on the issue and it was decided to hold a special gram sabha on October 4, and after public opinion, the panchayat would decide whether to give a NOC to these projects or not.”
Progressive Front of Goa, Convenor Hridaynath Shirodkar said, “When the Congress government ruled at the Centre the then union environment minister Jayram Ramesh had rejected these projects and questioned how the present government is now bringing these projects which were once rejected by the earlier Central government.”
He said, “The government earlier had rejected these projects because Mollem is a hotspot for biodiversity and ranked 38 by UNESCO located in Western Ghats.”
A police force was present to maintain law and order.