PANAJI
In a significant development linked to the ongoing assessment for a proposed Tiger Reserve, the Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has instructed the Goa Revenue Department to immediately transfer all land classified as ‘Forest Revenue land’—currently held by the Revenue Department, other government agencies, or private entities—to the Forest Department.
The directive was issued during CEC member Sunil Limaye’s recent visit to the State, where he held extensive discussions with both district collectors and officials regarding forest-like areas, especially privately held lands that exhibit characteristics of natural forests.
The discussions stem from the landmark Godavarman case, in which the Supreme Court broadened the definition of ‘forest’ to include any area dominated by trees and vegetation, irrespective of ownership.
A senior official who attended the meeting said the CEC has asked the Revenue Department to prioritise the handover of all such revenue lands to the forest department. Additionally, the Revenue authorities were urged to fully cooperate in identifying and demarcating private forest areas and to expedite steps for their official notification.
According to the officer, the Forest Department also presented the detailed methodology it has been using over the years to identify private forests across Goa and the procedures followed for their notification. CEC was informed that in 2024, in two separate orders, the government had notified 45.5 sq kms and 46.1 sq kms of area in the State as private forest in compliance with an order by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
As part of the ongoing evaluation for the proposed Tiger Reserve, the CEC member visited the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary. During the field visit, he inspected Bhutpal, a village located within the sanctuary where community rights remain unrecognised, and Tirwal, a settlement geographically enclosed by the sanctuary but officially excluded from its notified area.
The CEC was granted one week time by the Supreme Court on November 12 to submit its report on declaring Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding as Tiger Reserve, after CEC explained that key documents from the Goa government and the National Tiger Conservation Authority were awaited and the report will be completed once the pending information is received.
The Court also granted three more weeks for all parties to submit their responses. The matter will now be taken up after four weeks.
