Everyone is aware how much Karnataka’s Kalsa Bhandura project is a matter of concern for Goa and so, Goa will have to do everything in its power for the respective project to be canceled. Goa needs to seek relief in the matter by grabbing every minor opportunity there is and hence, the State approached the Supreme Court where the case is in progress. However, another incident has occurred outside the court which gives the State a reason to have not just a ray of hope, but an assured sunny days. Indeed, Goa will have to take the appropriate steps. Union Minister of Coal and Mines Prahlad Joshi made it clear to the farmers from his constituency, that Goa’s proposed tiger corridor is causing an obstacle to Karnataka’s Kalasa Bhandura project. This makes it absolutely clear that if Mhadei wildlife sanctuary is notified as a tiger reserve then the Kalsa Bhandura project will be canceled by-default for obvious reasons. Environmentalists such as Rajendra Kerkar have been persistent about this all along but his voice was never acknowledged by the authorities. In fact, there shouldn’t have been the need for environmentalists and activists to make the respective demand in the first place as the government should have initiated on its own.
There are reasons why certain wildlife sanctuaries or the part of the forests need to be notified as tiger corridors. The experts on the subject have studied the reasons based on which the Central government has made the law. The law regarding the wildlife sanctuaries was made after similar thorough studies as well and so, today’s rulers need not break their heads over neither studying anything nor making the laws. All the ruling leaders have to do is implement the existing laws, but the government is not ready to do that either. Presently the matter of notifying Mhadei wildlife sanctuary as a tiger reserve is hotly discussed, as the High Court itself has directed the government to do so. The court has even given the government a deadline of three months out of which one month is already down.
In fact, there should be no need for the government to wait for three months since they will have to follow the court orders any which way. Therefore without further ado, the Goa government should issue the notification of tiger reserve which will prompt Karnataka to cancel the Kalsa Bhandura project immediately which has been the demand of the Goans. However, the government is delaying the issuance of the notification or if one was to be brutally honest, the government does not want a tiger reserve in Goa. Hence the State government is preparing itself to challenge the High Court’s judgement in the Supreme Court. The Forest Minister in fact has clearly stated that they do not want a tiger reserve as it would cause displacement of the locals. The rehabilitation of the people will be a tough task according to him. Notwithstanding, one has to understand that if something has to be done courtesy the law, the follow up has to be done as well.
Once the tiger reserve becomes necessary as per the law, the rehabilitation of people becomes necessary too and naturally so. The government must do that. But there is a catch here as well. The number of families as per the government ministers which have to be rehabilitated isn’t as big as they claim it to be. According to the environmental activists, only five to six families will have to be relocated and now whose numbers can be considered legit remains a question. For that, the government itself will have to take the initiative. The government needs to sincerely survey the area to bring forth the information regarding the number of families which will have to be truly relocated.
When great things have to be done in the interest of the State, things like rehabilitation will have to be done as well. During the construction of Anjunem dam in Keri, people from the villages which would have been submerged in dam water were rehabilitated. Today, this village is proudly thriving and is known as Morlem colony. The people from the submerged village of Selaulim dam were relocated as well. Yes, there are difficulties persisting in this case which should be resolved for sure. The law has already explained why tiger reserve is a must but now there is another need which is saving Mhadei river. The government is left with one option and one option only: to notify Mhadei sanctuary as a tiger corridor and they should accept it as early as possible.
