PANAJI
The Goa government has, so far, spent Rs 90 lakh on lawyer fees to challenge the order of the Bombay High Court at Goa which ordered the State to declare the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary a tiger reserve.
According to data tabled before the Goa Legislative Assembly, the State has hired the services of senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who has billed the State 25.50 lakh for the two hearings held so far while his daughter, Misha Rohatgi who is the advocate on record was paid 1.65 lakh and the firm Veritas legal has till date billed the state Rs 62.76 lakh.
The Supreme Court, at the first hearing passed the following order: “Upon hearing the council, the Court made the following order -- Issue Notice.” At the second hearing, the Court gave four more weeks time to the Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change and the National Tiger Conservation Authority to file their replies.
The last hearing was held in December 2023 and no more hearings were held following that.
In its ruling delivered on July 24, this year, the High Court bench of Justices M S Sonak and M S Jawalkar ruled that the repeated recommendations by National Tiger Conservation Authority under Section 38-V (1) of WLPA (Wildlife Protection Act) are mandatory. “The State Government was bound to notify Mhadei WLS and other areas as a tiger reserve, given the recommendations of the NTCA on this issue,” the High Court had said.
Forest Minister and Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane had staunchly opposed the setting up of a tiger reserve in the state and had earlier stated that the state government would be challenging the order of the High Court in the Supreme Court.
Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the Goa government. Ms Indira Jaising appeared for the Goa Foundation.
