PANJIM: After the final hearings in the PIL praying directions to the state to notify the contiguous forest areas as a Tiger Reserve. O Heraldo published a series of three reports Dated July 14, 15 and 16 on Page 1 specifically highlighting these key issues
a)The indictment by the National Tiger Conservation Authority of the way the Goa government was managing its wildlife indicating that it was of the least priority for the government.
b) The regular stonewalling of the moves made by the Forest Department and the State wildlife board towards the process of notifying the Tiger Reserve and
c) The seven-year plus wait for any action whatsoever on the NTCAs March 31, 2016, letter saying it “it would be in the fitness of things to notify the said area as a tiger reserve. This would enable us to provide central assistance to the state to upgrade the protection status of the said landscape”
We refer to the three Herald reports published a week before the order, and extracts from the inspirational High Court judgment of the Bench of Justices Sonak and Deshpande where these very points were mentioned and addressed
1 Herald headline. DATE July 16, 2023
‘Appears that wildlife management is of least priority for the Goa Forest Department’: Tiger Authority report
This report focused on the NTCA fact-finding report after four tiger deaths in Goa in January 2020 and reported as follows:
Read what the National Tiger Conservation Authority has said about the so-called “well-managed” Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary
It gives an impression that wildlife management appears to be a subject that is of the least priority for the Goa Forest Department
Not all is well with the management of Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.
According to wildlife activists presence of tigers inside Mhadei WLS is a well-known and documented fact
(There is) no network of well-connected Anti-Poaching Camps (APC) at strategic locations
There is a wireless room at Valpoi but without any wireless equipment in it! Similarly, at the Range office at Maloli, a defunct wireless base station set sits on a table in a corner”
Unfortunately, even after more than two decades of declaring Mhadei as a Wildlife Sanctuary, it is managed on a completely ad-hoc basis as there exists no management plan for such an important sanctuary - NTCA fact-finding report after four tiger deaths in 2020
2 Herald headline. DATE July 15, 2023
Here’s irrefutable evidence that Goa Forest dept made preparations for a Tiger Reserve: SO WHO TRIED TO STONEWALL IT?
Extract from O Heraldo report: Here is enough telling evidence that we will present here to show that the Goa forest department from 2016 to 2020 and counting, was going ahead full steam to declare the contiguous Cotigao Mhadei Forest complex as Tiger Reserve.
a) October 12, 2016; Minutes of the State Board of Wildlife Attended by CM and Forest Minister
Agenda 3.7 mentioned ‘The Constitution of a Tiger Reserve in Goa where members discussed various impacts, provisions for protective fencing and safe movement of animals.
They also discussed matter regarding identification of regular passages used by wild animals
b) October 13, 2016, the Proposed Tiger Reserve plan was sent to the Dy Conservator of Forests. Working Plan Division Ponda by Dr A Anik Kumar (IFS), Dy Conservator
3 Herald Headline, DATE July 14, 2023
Chronology Samjhiye: Why 7 yrs, 3 months and 12 days to say NO to the Tiger Reserve after planning for it?
The O Heraldo report stated: On March 31, 2016, the Union govt sent a letter seeking Goa's proposal to notify the Mhadei Tiger Reserve. Why did the forest depart wait for this long and reject the proposal on declaring the Mhadei Cotigao “forest complex” a Tiger Reserve.
In March 2018, Forest dept had undertaken a detailed exercise to demarcate zones into core and buffer areas, administrative jurisdiction,
the status of human habitation and relocation of villages, evidence of the grounds being prepared to declare the area as a Tiger Reserve.