PANAJI
With over thousands of settlement claims of dwellers in the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary pending under Wildlife Protection Act, the State government has now set a deadline to complete the process by July 2024.
The move comes at a time when the State is racing against time to notify the Sanctuary and its surrounding areas as Tiger Reserve.
In an order issued, Under Secretary Forest Nathine Araujo has allocated powers and functions, performed by the Collector under Section 19 and 23 of the Act with regards to Settlement of Claims, to the Forest Settlement Officer, North.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 26 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (Central Act 53 of 1972), the Government hereby directs that the powers exercisable and functions to be performed by the Collector under Sections 19 to 23 (both inclusive) of the said Act may be exercised and performed by Forest Settlement Officer, North,” the order issued on October 12, stated.
“The inquiry into and determination of rights in the said area (Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary) shall be completed on or before 23-07-2024,” Araujo said in the order.
The Bombay High Court at Goa in its July 24 judgment on Tiger Reserve had criticized the State government for failing to settle the rights and claims of dwellers, even two-decades after Mhadei was declared as wildlife sanctuary in 1999.
Court had stated that when it comes to determining and settling the rights and claims of various dwellers, the Goa government has defaulted in compliance with the time schedule prescribed under the Wildlife Protection Act.
It noted that the statutorily prescribed timeline for the settlement of rights and claims of forest dwellers is two years from the notification date of the declaration of a sanctuary.
