SC stays projects in proposed Goa tiger reserve

PANAJI: In a major setback to Goa govt's ambitious plans to start hinterland tourism activities in five sanctuaries, Supreme Court on Monday granted a stay on carrying out any development activities in the proposed tiger reserve areas in state.SC, hearing a special leave petition by the state govt challenging a July 2023 Bombay HC order directing the state to declare Mhadei wildlife sanctuary and its surrounding areas as a tiger reserve in three months, referred the matter to Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and sought a report within two weeks. The bench of CJI B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and A S Chandurkar said until the report is filed, and SC examines it, Goa govt would not carry out developmental work in the areas which are the subject matter of the Bombay HC order.Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi arguing for Goa said if the 2023 order for designating wildlife sanctuaries - Mhadei, Bhagwan Mahavir, Netravali, Cotigao and Bondla - as a 1,000sq-km tiger reserve is implemented, the state would have to earmark one-third of its entire geographical area as a protected zone. "If in one-third of its geographical area is earmarked as tiger reserve, tigers will roam the streets not human beings," Rohatgi said and faulted the HC order for taking recommendation of National Tiger Conservation Authority as gospel truth.

In response to the court's query as to whether any steps were taken by forest department pursuant to NTCA's recommendation to the state govt to notify Mhadei-Cotigao wildlife sanctuaries as a tiger reserve, senior counsel Normal Alvares appearing for NGO Goa Foundation said the state responded positively to the recommendation and demarcated 745.18sq-km as tiger reserve, which is why the HC directed it to notify the tiger reserve within three months.Goa State Board for Wildlife has already outlined a proposed core zone of 587sq-km and a buffer zone of 167sq-km within the existing protected areas, where no relocation is required. Alvares told SC the areas for the proposed reserve were already notified as wildlife sanctuaries and national park and that not an inch of Goa's land outside the existing protected areas was to be notified as a tiger reserve as per the area already demarcated by forest department.The bench said this issue would require further examination by the CEC, whose assistance in fact finding is taken by the Supreme Court in environmental matters.