PANAJI
NGO Goa Foundation has challenged the State government's submission in the Bombay High Court at Goa seeking one year's extension to settle rights of forest dwellers living in the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary.
In its contempt petition, the NGO cited government records that from October 23, 2023 to July 30, 2024 only seven cases were disposed by the Revenue Officer-cum-Collector (ROC) (Netravali), one by the ROC (BMWLS) and not a single case disposed by ROC (Mhadei).
"Despite the slew of directives issued by the State government to its officers and the solemn assurances given to this Court, the State government has miserably failed to comply with the direction of this Court. The snail’s pace of progress of the State in complying with the said judgment is reflective of a conscious and deliberate violation of the direction of this Court. While a wide variety of justifications for the lack of progress have been procedures by the State...such as the conduct of elections and an implied shortage of ROCs, such excuses simply do not pass muster in so far as the question of compliance with the judgment is concerned," the petitioner stated.
As per reports, only two ROCs are appointed to settle around over 800 claims arising in the three protected areas. The petitioner stated that these ROCs are also deputed elsewhere from time to time. "Though a claim is made that high level meetings are being held from time to time to ensure compliance with the Court’s directions, it is shocking that the outcomes of these meetings are almost zero," it alleged.
The petitioner stated that the Respondents have wilfully and intentionally breached the order of this Court, and hence it sought a contempt.
On July 24, 2023, the High Court directed the government to notify a tiger reserve in the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and other contiguous areas within three months and to determine and settle the rights and claims of Scheduled Tribes and other forest dwellers within a year, following a Public Interest Litigation filed by the Goa Foundation.
The State thereafter informed the Bench that claims under Forest Rights and Scheduled Tribes Rights for residents of the Mhadei and nearby wildlife sanctuaries will be settled by July 24, 2024.
