PANAJI
Elected representatives on Thursday raised strong objections before the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) against declaring Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding as tiger reserve.
The CEC members held their second consultative meeting with Goa government officials, Petitioner Goa Foundation, environmentalists, elected representatives from Valpoi, Poriem, Sanguem, Quepem, Sanvordem and Canacona and other stakeholders to assess the tiger reserve proposal.
They presented their arguments to the CEC, both in favour of and against the proposed reserve.
The government, reiterated before the CEC that the Mhadei protected area is only a corridor whereby the tigers transit from Maharashtra to Karnataka or vice versa and that there is no scientific evidence to prove they are residents of the State.
State also said that final decision would be subject to undertaking a review of the feasibility of the proposal to declare the protected area as a tiger reserve.
Forest Minister and Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane, along with Poriem MLA Deviya Rane, opposed the declaration of the tiger reserve, claiming it would adversely affect the people of Sattari.
Vishwajit submitted detailed data to CEC asserting that tigers are not residential animals but Goa is a transit route for them. He said that across Goa close to one lakh people will be displaced.
"I have full faith in the Supreme Court," he said.
MLA Deviya Rane, along with panchayat members and villagers also met the CEC. She too claimed that there are no tigers in the area and that the move would impact thousands of Sattari villagers.
Strongly objecting to the proposal Social Welfare Minister and Sanguem MLA Subhash Phal Dessai said it would inflict severe problems on the local population.
He highlighted a historical pattern of hardships faced by the tribal communities and villagers residing in Sanguem’s hinterland areas, specifically citing the consequences stemming from the construction of the Selaulim Dam.
He explained to the CEC that 68 per cent of Goa is green cover, leaving no space for settlements.
"If one lakh people are to be rehabilitated, where will they go?, it's easy to sit in AC bungalows and demand Tiger Reserve," he commented.
On the other hand, environmentalists Claude Alvares and Rajendra Kerkar made a strong case in support of the tiger reserve before the CEC.
"The CEC doesn’t have any grievances. They have come to Goa to hear us. We have explained everything to them clearly, but whether they are convinced or not, I cannot say. We have provided them with all the reports. It is wrong that one lakh people will be affected. In fact in my opinion just 5,000 people will have to be rehabilitated," Alvares said.
He said that Goa government has prepared a management plan for wildlife sanctuaries and in that plan they have identified what is called as core zone, which are similar to tiger zones.
Environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar stated that notifying a tiger reserve in Goa would not impact large number of families. He further emphasized that establishing the reserve would not only aid tiger conservation but also strengthen the state’s position in the ongoing Mhadei river water diversion dispute, highlighting the broader environmental and strategic benefits of the proposal.
The Committee is expected to submit its report to SC by November 8.
