PANJIM: As the three months deadline for declaring the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding areas as Tiger Reserve is fast approaching, the State government has decided to approach the High Court seeking extension of the deadline which ends October 24 this year.
SO after three minths of doing nothing, Advocate General Devidas Pangam said that he has advised the State government (Forrest Department) to approach the High Court and seek extension of the given three months deadline which ends on October 24.
Last month, the Supreme Court had refused to grant interim stay to the High Court order which directed the State government to notify Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as Tiger Reserve within three months from the date of the order. Instead the Apex Court issued notice on a special leave petition filed by the Goa government, to the Ministry of Environment and Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the NGO Goa Foundation, who were the original petitioners in the matter before the High Court.
On July 24, the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court had ordered the State government to declare the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding areas as a Tiger Reserve. In its 94-page order, the Court has issued several directions including preparation of a tiger conservation plan as per the Wildlife Protection Act and submit the same to the NTCA within the same time-frame.
