PANAJI
The Supreme Court will on Monday take up a plea that challenged High Court's order to declare the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding areas as a tiger reserve, with the matter listed before the Chief Justice of India.
Activist and petitioner Claude Alvares confirmed that the development stating the matter has been given priority on the apex court’s board number 1.
The Goa government had challenged the High Court order dated July 24, 2023, which directed the State to notify the sanctuary as a tiger reserve within three months. While the State approached the Supreme Court in September last year, it is also facing a contempt plea in the High Court for failing to comply with the order.
Meanwhile, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) backed the tiger reserve proposal. In an affidavit before the court earlier, the NTCA said Mhadei holds significant potential for range expansion of tigers in Goa and the northern Western Ghats.
