PONDA: Coming to the rescue of members of seventeen families of Wanarmare tribe in Nirankal, Bethoda in Ponda taluka, the state government has approved compensation of Rs 4,500 each to rebuild huts besides 5 kg rice and half kg sugar per person a month, provision of solar light and other basic amenities.
Thirteen huts of the tribe members were demolished allegedly by locals around a fortnight ago who charged them of creating nuisance.
Taking cognizance of Goa State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) order passed on Tuesday, the South Goa Collector Swapnil Naik along with officials of various government departments visited Wanarmare tribe members at Nirankal on Wednesday.
Naik briefed affected people about the provision of Rs 4,500 compensation. He further told them that each member of the tribe will be given 5 kg rice and ½ kg sugar per month under the civil supply department and arrangements will be made for solar light under the Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) for all 17 families.
Naik also directed the electricity department to make arrangement to light up streets in the vicinity. He also said that water is being supplied to the affected families through tankers daily by the PWD department.
Naik was accompanied by deputy collector Paresh Faldesai, Ponda mamlatdar Joao Fernandes, electricity department junior engineer Rajesh Naik and GEDA field worker Pooja Dabali.
The Collector however said that the issue of permanent rehabilitation of Wanarmares at Nirankal is a bit complicated as the land belongs to the comunidade but assured to work out some arrangements in this regard until which affected people will be offered all basic facilities.
It may be recalled that terming the people of Wanarmare community tribe a nuisance to society, a group of villagers from Nirankal-Bethora in Ponda had demolished 13 hutments belonging to the primitive tribe on October 16 and had asked occupants to vacate as early as possible. Police had booked 15 villagers. After two weeks of the incident, a villager was arrested but released on bail next day.
Around 17 families constituting around 60 members belonging to Wanarmare tribe are residing in Nirankal village in Bethora for past many years including some children who study in primary and high schools in Nirankal.
The tribals have no source of livelihood as they had to give up killing of monkeys following strict wildlife rules.
According to a senior member of the tribe Gopal Powar, members of the group are mostly engaged in agricultural jobs. The men get Rs 150 as daily wages while the women are paid as little as Rs 75 a day, he added.