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Create opportunities for Kolis, give them employment priority over others: Nandkumar Pawar

Nandkumar Pawar, founder of Shree Ekvira Aai Pratishthan, an NGO, said there are around 11 villages inhabited by the kolis between Airoli to Vikroli of the Thane Flamingo Sanctuary, and these families need to be given job guarantees.

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With Airoli all set to inaugurate the Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Centre at Thane Flamingo Sanctuary on Sunday, local fishermen have demanded that job opportunities be created and that they should be given first priority for employment.

Nandkumar Pawar, founder of Shree Ekvira Aai Pratishthan, an NGO, said there are around 11 villages inhabited by the kolis between Airoli to Vikroli of the Thane Flamingo Sanctuary, and these families need to be given job guarantees.

“There is hardly any fish left in the creek due to pollution. Since the state government has done nothing to protect the livelihood of the fishermen, they have to ensure that job opportunities are created. Now that a centre has come up, we should be given priority for jobs,” said Pawar, adding that they will be sending a proposal to the Mangrove Cell and state government, and will also meet the chief minister. According to him, fishermen were gradually being forced to join the illegal sand mining business owing to lack of other job opportunities.

Speaking to DNA, N Vasudevan, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Mangrove Cell, said that they already have plans to rope in members of the fishing community.

“We will rope in members of the fishing community to ply boats on the creek but they need to have legal permission to carry tourists. We will also hire youngsters, who can be trained as nature guides and run our souvenir shop,” he said.

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