PANAJI
As the three-month deadline set by the Bombay High Court at Goa fast approaches and with Supreme Court granting ‘no stay’, the Forest Department is in fix over declaring and notifying Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding areas as Tiger Reserve.
The State Forest department has moved a file to the Advocate General to seek his opinion on the implementation of the order.
Though the Goa government has challenged High Court order, dated July 24 before the Supreme Court, the same has not been stayed and the Apex bench is likely to hear the special leave petition only on November 10. The High Court in its order had granted three months time to the State to declare the protected area as tiger reserve.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam confirmed that he has received a file from the Forest Department seeking his opinion on the High Court directions. “I am going through the file and will convey my opinion by Monday, to the department,” AG said while admitting that currently there is no stay from SC on the HC order.
The Apex Court had on September 25, while admitting the SLP, issued notices to the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Goa Foundation -- the petitioner in the High Court.
The High Court, through its judgment, had also directed the State to prepare a tiger conservation plan as per the Wildlife Protection Act and submit it to the NTCA within the same time-frame.
The government was directed to set up anti-poaching camps at strategic locations to be staffed by forest guards, watchers, etc, in the Wildlife Sanctuary and National Parks in Goa, which was to be completed in the six months from July 24 onwards.
Also, the government and the Forest Department were directed to take emergent steps to ensure that there are no encroachments in the protected forest areas like Wildlife Sanctuary and National Parks pending notification of the Tiger Reserve, and even after that.
