In what could be a big boost to save the tiger movement, the Bombay High Court at Goa on Monday directed the Goa government to declare the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve within three months from the date (July 24, 2023) of declaration of its order.
The HC order has come in as a big slap on politicians, including Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane, who always maintained Goa lacked the criteria needed for a tiger reserve.
Those fighting to save the diversion of river Mhadei to Karnataka are also delighted with the HC order. They are of the view that declaring Mhadei as a tiger reserve will make it difficult for Karnataka to divert Goa's water.
The High Court has directed the State government to notify the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and other areas referred by National Tiger Conservation Authority as a tiger reserve within three months from today (July 24, 2023).
Those fighting to save the diversion of river Mhadei to Karnataka are also delighted with the HC order. They are of the view that declaring Mhadei as a tiger reserve will make it difficult for Karnataka to divert Goa's water.
The court has further directed the State government to take all steps to prepare a tiger conservation plan as contemplated by Section 38-V (3) of the Wild Life Protection Act and to forward the same to the NTCA within three months of notifying the Mhadei WLS and other areas as a tiger reserve.
Also, the NTCA has been directed to render full assistance to the State government for completing the above process and after that to expeditiously process the State government's tiger conservation plan and take a decision thereon within three months of receiving the plan.
The Goa government has been directed to set up anti-poaching camps at strategic locations to be staffed by forest guards, watchers, etc., in the wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in the State. This exercise must be completed within six months, the court order asserted.
The court has also directed the State government and the Forest Department authorities to take emergent steps to ensure that there are no encroachments in the protected forest areas and national parks pending notification of the tiger reserve, and even after that.
The court has also directed the State government and the Forest Department authorities to take emergent steps to ensure that there are no encroachments in the protected forest areas and national parks
It has directed the State Government to determine and settle the rights and claims of the Scheduled Tribes and other forest dwellers following the law as expeditiously as possible and preferably within 12 months from today.
Soon after the High Court order became known, Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane asserted that the Goa government will appeal against the order of the High Court in the Supreme Court.
This called for angry reactions from those fighting to save the tigers and Goa's forests. Foremost among them was RTI activist Rajan Ghate, who said, "Vishwajit Rane should have humbly accepted the HC order and worked to save Goa's wildlife. It now appears he has his own self-interest. The panchayats, environmentalists and Goa's people have been appealing to the government to save Goa's forests, but this one man is hell-bent on their destruction."
Vishwajit Rane should have humbly accepted the HC order and worked to save Goa's wildlife. It now appears he has his own self-interest. The panchayats, environmentalists and Goa's people have been appealing to the government to save Goa's forests, but this one man is hell-bent on their destruction
Rajan Ghate, RTI Activist
Environmentalists and those fighting to save the tiger are of the view that the Goa government's appeal in the Superme Court will not stand. "There is concrete evidence of tiger presence in Mhadei and also it is a notified wildlife sanctuary. Also, earlier it was declared as a forest reserve by former Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane."
Claude Alvares of Goa Foundation said the people of Goa were waiting for this order. "It's a shame some people in Goa were scuttling all moves to declare a tiger reserve knowing well that the project was taken up by the Centre to save the forests. Let the government go in appeal, we are ready to fight it."
