Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane said that the current population of Tigers in Goa’s Forests is not known as the Tiger Estimation Report for the current year has not yet been published by NTCA.
“The current population of Tigers in Goa’s Forests is not known as the Tiger Estimation Report for the current year has not yet been published by NTCA,” said Rane
He further said that the Ddeclaration of Mhadei wildlife Sanctuary as Tiger Reserve will not have any bearing on flow of water, as the legal provisions to regulate inflow and outflow of water in Tiger reserve is same as that of the Sanctuary, as per the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
As per the provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 steps required for evaluating an area to be declared as Tiger Reserve was undertaken by the State. Accordingly during the State Board for Wildlife meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister on July 2023 was noted that provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 w.r.t. protection for Wildlife Sanctuaries, National parks and that of Tiger reserves are almost similar and considering existing facts.
He said that the Boards resolved the declaration of already notified PAs in Goa as Tiger Reserve which as per NTCA guidelines should be inviolate area, will not serve any significant purpose at this stage and neither will it be feasible in view of availability of relatively small PAs and large population living in and around these PAs
