CWH meet postponed

CWH meet postponed
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, OCT 13
The crucial meeting to decide fate on Critical Wildlife Habitats (CWH) in Goa scheduled today was postponed as Chief Minister was out of station.
Requesting to the demand of United Tribal Association Alliance (UTAA), who had raised objection to CWH status to Cotigao wildlife sanctuary, chief minister Digamber Kamat had personally decided to intervene in the matter.
Accordingly, a special meeting of forest department, tribal welfare department and UTAA was called by Kamat today at Secretariat.
UTAA leader and Poinguinim MLA Ramesh Tawadkar, who met chief minister on Monday, explained him that CWH will affect tribal population living in state’s wildlife sanctuaries. “He had therefore called a meeting to discuss over the issue. But since he is out of station today, it is been postponed. The next date is yet to be fixed,” Tawadkar said.
The State Level Steering Committee, headed by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF) Dr Shashi Kumar is facing a heat from locals of Cotigao and Chorao who feel that their rights would be encroached upon once CWH status is notified.
The department, which is planning to declare CHW status to all six wildlife sanctuaries, has been successful in granting CWH status to only Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary.