PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has maintained silence over his government’s failure to adhere to the three-month deadline set by the High Court to declare and notify the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding areas as a tiger reserve. The deadline ended on Tuesday.
When questioned by the media, Sawant said, “I will discuss with the AG (Advocate General) and then make the statement. Let me discuss with the AG.”
The division bench of the Bombay High Court in Goa had, on July 24, issued an order directing the State to declare Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve within three months.
The State filed an application on October 20, seeking more time to implement the order, pending a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court. The matter was neither heard nor admitted by the Court until October 23, and as per the schedule, the matter is also not listed on the board for October 25.
The SLP filed before the Supreme Court will come up for hearing on November 10. Although the State had requested to stay the impugned judgment, the Apex Court had refused to grant any interim relief.
The State government is of the clear view that with restrictions on par with those for Tiger Reserves already in force across wildlife sanctuaries, there is no immediate need for a notification to declare Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve.
Along with notifying the Tiger Reserve, the State was also directed to prepare a tiger conservation plan in accordance with the Wildlife Protection Act and submit it to the NTCA within three months. That deadline has also lapsed.
