AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
PANJIM: The cat – actually the Tiger, is well, truly and officially out of the bag and in the open. The Union government has, in no uncertain terms, stated that what stands between the absolute court-mandated need for a Tiger Reserve, and its actual notification is the will and intent of the Goa government.
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The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav in a reply to South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes, (on behalf of school children of Goa) on September 30 stated, “I would like to inform you that National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has communicated the matter to the State government for consideration and needful action. After the proposal from the State government is received, NTCA will take up the matter as per laid down procedure and provisions of the relevant Acts.”
Importantly the NTCA, the highest body for tiger conservation in the country has clearly taken a position that the Tiger Reserve in Goa is imperative and crucial.
Interestingly, the issue has resurfaced in a manner that wasn’t quite expected. 170 students from ten schools in Goa’s gave a memorandum to the South Goa MP, at a function expressing concern about the conservation of tigers. Post this, the MP in turn wrote to the Environment Minister their worry was conveyed to the Union Minister on August 28, 2024.
The memorandum of the children stated, “It is a matter of great pride that we have tigers, the national animal, in our precious forest. The acknowledgement of its existence after years of denial is the way ahead. The NTCA has recommended that a Tiger Reserve be demarcated in Goa. The High Court has ordered the Government of Goa to implement this. We children stand to be the first generation to gain from this land mark decision,” reads the memorandum signed by the children.
“The children have now decided to write a letter to the Chief Minister and Environment Minister questioning their hesitancy on declaring a Tiger Reserve and a copy of the same will be submitted to the Supreme Court,” assured Tallulah D’Silva, Goa coordinator of Kids for Tigers.
“The situation is simple. The government needs to notify the reserve if they want the people to get ample amount of oxygen and water. By declaring the Tiger Reserve, the Western Ghats passing through Goa will be protected and that will form the base for good living for the future generation,” reasons Goa’s environmental scholar Rajendra Kerkar.
“When the government went on appeal to the Supreme Court, it became obvious that vested interests wanting to convert large areas of forest land into settlement zone are at play,” assumed Kerkar.
“If the government declares a Tiger reserve all illegalities in and around the area will need to be stopped and that is something the local dispensation wants to avoid,” explained Kerkar.
“The matter is pending in the Supreme Court with no stay having been granted on the High Court judgment. All parties were given time to present their pleas and affidavits and with the NTCA being the last party to have done so, the case is now ready for hearing and judgment,” disclosed an advocate representing one party at the SC.
