APEX COURT PANEL PUSHES FOR TIGER RESERVE IN GOA

SUGGESTS TWO PHASES; KEEPS MHADEI OUT FOR NOW

- THE GOAN I NETWORK

In a significant development, the Supreme Court's Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has recommended establishing a Goa Tiger Reserve spanning 468.60 sq kms of protected area -- directly contiguous with Karnataka's Kali Tiger Reserve -- in two phases.

In the first phase, the proposed reserve brings together three existing protected areas -- Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, parts of Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park.

However, the committee has notably left out the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary -- having 612 households -- from its recommendation for consideration in the second phase, marking a major setback for ongoing demands to include the region within the proposed tiger reserve framework. The CEC has said that the State government may initiate a process to notify the Tiger Reserve within three months. The top court is set to pass its final order on the report on December 15.

KEY OBSERVATIONS OF CEC

Netravali WLS (50 habitations) and northern Bhagwan Mahavir WLS (9 habitations) are suitable for inclusion in Phase 1 of the proposed Tiger Reserve