The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on Thursday held extensive deliberations with political leaders, en vironmentalists, and gov ernment officials over the contentious proposal to declare a Mhadei Tiger Re serve in Sattari Taluka. Forest Minister and Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane voiced strong opposition, stressing that the reserve could ad versely affect local residents. Clarifying that he spoke in his capacity as Valpoi MLA, not as Forest Minister, Rane sub mitted a written statement highlighting the socio-econom ic challenges the proposal might bring, while reaffirming his faith in the Supreme Court. Poriem MLA Deviya Rane questioned the very feasi bility of a tiger reserve in the area, citing National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines that a reserve should only be declared where 80–100 resident tigers ex ist. “Here, we hardly spot a tiger once in several years,” she said. “Those demanding a tiger reserve in Goa should come and live in our villages to understand the ground realities.” Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly Ganesh Gaon kar also reiterated his firm opposition to the reserve. Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai expressed concern about the impact on local communities. The CEC was understanding, but this proposal has been made with out considering the livelihoods of locals. You can’t displace 20,000 residents for a single tiger. Forest officials are har assing people. With 68% of Goa already under green cov er, there’s barely any space left for settlements. Where are people supposed to go? It’s easy to sit in air-conditioned bungalows and demand a tiger reserve,” he said. Environmentalists, however, strongly defended the proposal. Claude Alvares stated, “The CEC doesn’t have any grievances. They’ve come here to listen. We’ve pre sented all the required documentation. According to the law, a wildlife management plan must be prepared, and such a plan already exists for all sanctuaries in Goa. In that plan, the core zone and tiger zone are essentially the same.” Rajendra Kerkar highlighted the threats faced by tigers in Goa. “In 2009, one tiger was killed; in 2019, four more were killed. That’s five tigers lost over 10 years, indicat ing the presence of tigers and the risks they face. Declaring a tiger reserve will not only ensure their protection but could also help Goa in the Mhadei water dispute. Moreover, it will safeguard vital river catchment areas.” CEC members Chandra Prakash Goyal and Sunil Limaye are visiting Goa to engage with government officials, peti tioners, and stakeholders linked to Special Leave Petition (Civil) No 20683 of 2023 (State of Goa vs Goa Foundation & Others). Representatives from constituencies including Sanvordem, Valpoi, Canacona, Sanguem, and Poriem were invited, with each MLA allowed up to 15 local delegates to present their views. The deliberations underscore the deep divide between local communities and environmental advocates over con servation and development priorities in Goa.
Mhadei Tiger Reserve Proposal Sparks Heated Debate in Goa as CEC Holds Talks with Leaders, Activists
