Team Herald
MARGAO: A petition promoted by environmental groups including the Goa Foundation and the Save Mollem campaign is gaining traction, calling on the Goa government to revoke permissions for a proposed ‘eco-tourism’ project on the Surla Plateau. The campaign warns that the plan, which is to be located within the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, threatens to destroy a highly sensitive laterite ecosystem that supports several endemic species and protected wildlife, including the tiger. Citing scientific research and court directives, the petition accuses authorities of greenwashing and urges that the plateau be conserved instead of developed.
The petition, which has attracted a large number of signatures, stresses that high-altitude laterite plateaus like Surla are wrongly labelled as barren ‘wastelands’, when in fact they are rich ecological zones. Research has documented over 300 plant species on such tablelands, particularly monsoon-dependent herbaceous species. These seasonal blooms play a crucial role in sustaining pollinators like bees and flies, while the grassy terrain serves as vital habitat for open-area bird species such as Malabar larks
and quails.
Surla Plateau is also home to rare fauna, with recent studies identifying species like the scorpion Hottentota vinchu and the frog Fejervarya goemchi, both considered range-restricted and possibly endemic to the area. Wildlife such as sloth bears, leopards, pangolins, and gaur—listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act—have been observed in the area. Of particular concern is the confirmed presence of tigers, with camera traps capturing images of the animal on the plateau and in adjoining zones.
The petition underscores that the Surla Plateau lies within the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary—one of Goa’s largest and most biodiverse protected areas—and that the National Tiger Conservation Authority, along with the Bombay High Court at Goa, has already directed the state government to declare the sanctuary a tiger reserve. Despite this, no clearance has been obtained from the NTCA for the proposed tourism development.
Environmentalists are also concerned that the plateau's categorisation under the Wasteland Atlas of India has facilitated its vulnerability to infrastructure projects. Across Goa, similar laterite tablelands have been concretised for industrial estates and townships—such as those at Verna, Kundaim, Colvale, Kadamba, and Mopa—leading to ecological consequences, including reports of wells drying up in nearby villages.
In a joint social media appeal, Goa Foundation and the Save Mollem campaign described the effort as an “urgent campaign” to prevent irreversible ecological damage. “Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most biodiverse forests in India, home to endemic species and the majestic tiger. But the Goa Forest Department, instead of prioritising its protection, is planning to destroy a sensitive laterite plateau to build an ‘eco-tourism’ resort within the sanctuary,” the groups stated.
They warned that the project could interfere with tiger movement and harm the hundreds of unique species found in this ecosystem. “We urge the Goa Government and Forest Department to cancel this proposed project,” they said, encouraging citizens to read, sign, and share the petition in support of the campaign.