PANAJI
The Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee (CEC) is expected to visit Goa after October 15 for hands-on study on the tiger reserve issue.
In July 2023, the High Court of Bombay at Goa had directed the Goa government to notify the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and other areas, identified by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and in plans prepared by the Goa Forest Department, as a tiger reserve within three months. The Goa government filed a special leave petition challenging the High Court’s order.
On September 8, the Supreme Court ordered status quo on all development activities in areas directed to be notified as a tiger reserve and asked a Central Empowered Committee to examine the tiger reserve issue and submit a report in six weeks.
Sources informed that the CEC’s visit, which was expected this week, has been delayed and will now arrive after October 15. “CEC has to submit some report to the Supreme Court before October 15. Only after that the team will visit Goa,” sources said adding ‘the CEC will then submit its report on the tiger reserve issue to the Court by November 8’.
The Supreme Court has fixed the tiger matter “high on board” for considering the CEC’s recommendations on November 12.
CEC held its first hearing with the stakeholders including Goa government and petitioner Goa Foundation on September 16.
The government in its submission before the CEC said that the Mhadei protected area is only a corridor whereby the tigers transit from Maharashtra to Karnataka or vice versa and that there are no scientific evidence to prove they are residents of the State.
The State also said that the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) recommendations are not binding on them and the final decision would be subject to undertaking a review of the feasibility of the proposal to declare the protected area as a tiger reserve.
