PANAJI
In a fresh submission before the Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee (CEC), the State government has maintained that the protected areas of Mhadei-Cotigao proposed for declaration as a tiger reserve are home to nearly one lakh people, whose livelihoods depend heavily on forest resources, making their relocation impractical. The government has provided additional details to the Committee, as sought, pertaining to the habitation and infrastructure within the protected areas.
A senior Forest Department official told The Goan that the State has submitted detailed information to the CEC, including habitation data, infrastructure maps, and the status of claims under the Wildlife Protection Act for the Mhadei and adjoining sanctuaries. “We have conveyed that these residents, living in forest villages for over five decades, are unwilling to be relocated and there are no feasible options to resettle such a large population,” the official said.
The CEC had, during its visit to Goa last month, sought detailed inputs from the Forest Department to assess the likely social and economic impact if Mhadei and other wildlife sanctuaries are notified as a tiger reserve. The committee also sought clarity on existing restrictions, human habitation within the protected areas, and the extent of possible displacement.
According to the State’s submission, the proposed tiger reserve covers approximately 745.18 sq km, of which about 200 sq km falls under the core and buffer zones. Officials said the primary concern highlighted before the CEC was the dense human habitation, which could face significant socio-economic consequences if the area is converted into a tiger reserve.
The department further informed the CEC that, in line with the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) recommendation under Section 38(V) of the Wildlife Protection Act, Goa had identified and demarcated the Mhadei-Cotigao region for the tiger reserve. However, the State has maintained that the NTCA’s advice is recommendatory, not binding, and that the final decision would depend on a detailed feasibility review.
In July 2023, the Bombay High Court at Goa had directed the State government to notify the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and adjoining areas as a tiger reserve within three months. The government later challenged this order in the Supreme Court through a special leave petition.
On September 8, the apex court ordered a status quo on all developmental activities within the proposed tiger reserve area and directed the CEC to examine the issue and submit its report within six weeks. During the CEC’s interactions with stakeholders, several local representatives, including MLAs and panchayat heads, strongly opposed the tiger reserve proposal.
At its initial meeting with the CEC, the State reiterated that the Mhadei region primarily serves as a wildlife corridor facilitating tiger movement between Maharashtra and Karnataka and that there is no scientific evidence confirming the presence of resident tigers in Goa.
