TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday once again took a dig at the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) stating that “people sitting in Delhi map the bio diversity of Goa without even knowing the ground reality.”
“Such mapping of bio-diversity creates conflicts between humans and nature. We should not make humans and nature conflicting but complimenting. There is a need to create a situation wherein humans and animal will live together” Parrikar said, while addressing the valedictory function of wildlife awareness campaign undertaken by the state forest department on Friday.
The chief minister was apparently referring to the Western Ghat bio diversity report drafted by the high level K Kasturirangan committee of the MoEF.
The Goa government has already written to MoEF stating that the Kasturirangan panel’s findings on the Western Ghats cannot be accepted, as recommendations are unilateral. The committee has banned all kind of developmental and industrial works in three talukas coming under the Western Ghats –Sanguem, Canacona and Sattari.
Parrikar said that some of the areas which are outside the western ghat are mapped as bio diversity hotspots. Chief Minister underscored the need for safeguarding the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats as a biodiversity spot with sustainable and equitable development while keeping in focus the preservation and conservation of ecological systems.
“Western Ghat has to be absolutely protected but sometimes over protection can be reversible,” he commented. Referring to the diversion of forests, the chief minister said that thousands of hectares of land was diverted for mining activity between 2006-08 by then government.
“I had to raise the issue on the floor of the house to point out the illegal diversions,” Parrikar said narrating his pronouncements as former leader of opposition. The chief minister has appealed people to stop eating wild animal meat in order to control poaching of wild animals.
