PANJIM: The Congress on Wednesday alleged that the Forest Department provided wrong information to the State Legislative Assembly that the loss incurred to forests, human lives and lives of various species, flora and fauna due to forest fires is “Nil” when the department is yet to complete the inquiry of the forest fires from 2019 till March 2023.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Patkar charged that the Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane lied to the Assembly and Goans with false replies to fulfill his aspiration of becoming “Minister for concrete jungles”.
A delegation of Congress Party met Principal Conservator of Forests and submitted a memorandum condemning delay and ignorance on part of Forest Department to investigate the forest fires.
Patkar demanded a high-level inquiry under a retired High Court Judge with experts from various fields as its members to investigate the cause of the fires in forest and eco-sensitive areas. He also demanded that the government must declare all the scorched land as “No Development Zone” and should not allow conversions of the said land to settlement zones or eco-tourism projects.
The replies given to the Legislative Assembly Questions states that 470.22 hectares forest area was affected by 200 incidents of forest fires from 2019 till March 2023. It further stated that the cause of the fire was “Environmental and Anthropogenic Factor” and that there was “Nil” damage to forests, human lives, lives of various species, flora and fauna.
The reply also stated that the inquiry pertaining to fire incidents in forest areas from 2019 onwards is in progress by the Deputy Conservator of Forest of the concerned division. How can Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane conclude the loss from forest fire is “Nil” when the Conservator of Forest says that the inquiry is still in progress? Questioned Patkar.
