Extended Project Tiger to Goa: ex-Governor Jacob

PANJIM, OCT 5
The maker of Goa’s two biggest wildlife sanctuaries has asked the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests (MoEF) to extend ‘Project Tiger’ to Goa as the State’s forests are contiguous to two tiger habitats.
Former Goa Governor J F R Jacob, who signed the documents declaring Mhadei and Netravali as wildlife sanctuaries during President’s Rule in the State, has said that presence of tigers in Goa is confirmed after a tiger killing case reported in the State last year (at Keri).
“Recent tiger killing has confirmed the presence of the wild cat in the State. Since Goa shares a common boundary with Hanshi and Dandeli wildlife sanctuaries, which have a tiger presence, Project Tiger should be extended to Goa, too” Jacob has said.
The letter which is directed to Union minister for Environment and Forest Jairam Ramesh has said that National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) should ensure that the benefit of Project Tiger is also provided to Goa.
‘Project Tiger’ is a wildlife conservation movement initiated in India in 1972 to protect the Bengal Tigers. It is considered as the most powerful and most ambitious conservation projects in the country.
As per the guidelines of the Project Tiger, the purpose was to establish the special Tiger Reserves throughout the country to provide natural habitat and enough space for the tigers and other wilds in the jungles.
Jacob has also lamented that almost a decade after notification of wildlife sanctuaries, State Forest department is not in a position to have administrative and physical control over those areas.
He said that the notification process was difficult one and had to be done against wishes of mining lobby and politicians.
Mhadei and Netravali wildlife sanctuaries were notified by Gen Jacob in 1999 while Bondla and Cotigao were declared as sanctuaries way back in 1969.
Goa Forest department officials said that the state has taken cognisance of Jacob’s letter.
“After the letter, two Range Forest Officers (RFOs) were appointed for Mhadei and Netravali wildlife sanctuaries,” he said.