PANAJI
The Regional Empowered Committee (REC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has directed the Goa government to initiate action for removal of an encroachment on forest land in Dharbandora that came to light during appraisal of the proposed Tamnar Inter-State Power Transmission Project.
The direction was issued while considering the proposal for diversion of forest land for the transmission project, after the Forest Department informed the committee that a portion of the proposed diversion area is under encroachment.
As per REC minutes, the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) and the Range Forest Officer reported that Survey No. 98 of the Unclassed Forest at Dharbandora village, forming part of the proposed forest diversion, is recorded in the name of the Government of Goa, Daman & Diu, but is not in the possession of the Forest Department.
The officials further informed the committee that the land is under encroachment by Shankar Shivram Naik.
Taking serious note of the matter, the REC advised the State Forest Department to initiate necessary action for removal of the encroachment in accordance with the applicable legal provisions before the project proceeds further.
In a letter dated July 6, 2026, the DCF, North Goa Division, informed the committee that an inspection of an earth-breaking site identified through GPS coordinates submitted by Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Ltd. revealed the presence of an abandoned laterite quarry within Survey No. 98.
The Forest Department clarified that the quarry is no longer operational and, based on Google timeline imagery, quarrying activity had taken place during 2015-16. It also stated that the proposed transmission line alignment does not pass through the abandoned quarry site.
However, during verification of land records, the department found that while the 9.30-hectare parcel is entered in the name of the government in the Form I & XIV, it is not under the possession of the Forest Department. The inspection report of the Range Forest Officer, Collem, further recorded that the land is shown under "other rights" as being encroached upon by Shankar Shivram Naik.
The REC's direction forms part of the conditions imposed while recommending Stage-I (in-principle) forest clearance for the Tamnar transmission project, which involves diversion of forest land in Goa and Karnataka.
