The report that has identified 50 villages covering three talukas – Sattari, Sanguem and Canacona – as eco-sensitive areas (ESA), will be submitted for notification to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) by July 31.
The report drafted by the State Environment Department has identified 50 villages in full for inclusion as ESA, and recommended parts of 44 villages in proximity of protected areas like
wildlife sanctuaries to be included as ESAs.
“The final report is placed before State government for its approval. The report has to be submitted to MoEF latest by July 31,” a senior official confirmed.
Herald, in its edition dated April 25, had reported in detail the fresh findings of the environment department that had observed that 14 villages which were identified as ESAs, by the Dr Kasturirangan Committee, are not part of Goa.
The High Level Working Group of MoEF headed by Dr Kasturirangan Committee on Western Ghats had identified 1461 sq kms area, covering 99 villages (entire villages) of three talukas – Sattari (56), Sanguem (38) and Canacona (5) – as eco-sensitive. The State government had declined to accept the report arguing that the ESAs were declared without taking the State and the people into confidence and argued that the decision would affect several inhabitants of the areas, including of the forest.
Accordingly, MoEF had directed all seven states, nestled in the Western Ghats to carry out physical demarcation of eco-sensitive boundaries and submit the report for fresh consideration.
The Kasturirangan panel was constituted by MoEF to advise the government on the recommendations made by the Western Ghat ecology expert panel led by Prof Madhav Gadgil, whose report was also not accepted by the State.
