Gujarat assembly polls 2022: In dinosaur land, revolt over fossilized facilities

Poll boycott threats issued by residents of isolated localities may be common, but a resolution rejecting election in Raiyoli village of Balasinor taluka in Mahisagar district has sparked a row. Raiyoli is famous for the only dinosaur park in the country.
The resolution passed by the gram sabha of Raiyoli on October 19 has sought better bus connectivity to the dinosaur park. But village sarpanch Khushal Vankar claimed it was an attempt to create controversy.
The resolution was signed by the talati-cummantri of the gram sabha. Based on the resolution, Raiyoli resident Javansinh Chauhan, a member of a milk cooperative, even wrote a letter to the chief minister on November 1.
Vankar claimed he had gone to the gram sabha, but left early because of some work.
“After I left, the resolution was passed. On learning about it, I discussed the matter with the talati. He told me that after I had left, some people insisted on the resolution,” he said, adding the attendance at the gram sabha was also very low.
Chauhan said the dinosaur park was about 500 metres away from the Raiyolibus stand.
“If buses start plying till there, it will draw more tourists. Also, students from the village face difficulty as there are no buses that can ensure they reach school in time,” he said.
However, Vankar says the dinosaur park is at a walking distance from the bus stand. “It is not a genuine problem. It has been raked up to create a controversy,” he said.
The state government has developed the park by adding a series of facilities there. The second phase of the development was inaugurated by CM Bhupendra Patel recently. The park at Raiyoli is said to be the third largest dinosaur fossil site in the world. Research revealed that 13 species of dinosaurs lived here around 65 million years ago.