Sanguem: Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar raised question over the efficiency and role of the forest department, “They miserably failed to give relief to the people in the natural calamity that took place five days back when Tauktae cyclone hit Goa” said Gaonkar.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Independent legislator said that even as hundreds of trees fell in the cyclone in the forest areas, which damaged electricity poles, the forest department was nowhere seen in relief work.
Appreciating the efforts of the power department personnels and PWD who were working on war footing to restore the power supply and water supply in the state, Gaonkar took on the forest department for failing to remove trees that were fallen down in different parts of the state.
Appreciating the efforts of the power department personnels and PWD who were working on war footing to restore the power supply and water supply in the state, Gaonkar took on the forest department for failing to remove trees that were fallen down in different parts of the state.
“If poor people in villages go to forest for collecting firewoods the forest officials file complaints against them and harass them treating them like criminals. But when state was facing problems due to Tauktae cyclone the forest department did not come forward to clear the trees,” he noted.
Sanguem MLA said that it was pathetic to see that the forest officials were sitting idle when employees of the electricity department and PWD along with the locals were busy clearing the trees that were uprooted on power supply lines and roads.
“Why is there no responsibility on the forest department in disaster management?” Gaonkar questioned, adding that this is shocking when forest officials sit idle when forest portfolio is held by the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
He said that there are instances where the forest officials didn’t come forward to remove the trees which had fallen in front of their office.
“I demand that the government must fix responsibility on forest officials who failed to give relief to the people in distress times,” he said.
“I demand that the government must fix responsibility on forest officials who failed to give relief to the people in distress times,” he said.
