Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: With recent development of a tigress and her three cubs documented in Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, the Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao has questioned the BJP government over its hesitance to notify the tiger reserve.
“Despite Mhadei sanctuary being a habitat for big cats, with National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) records showing 5 tiger sightings in 2014 and 3 in 2018, and recent local captures, why is the @goacm hesitant to notify it as a Tiger Reserve? Is it to facilitate the transfer of Mhadei waters to Karnataka?,” Alemao questioned.
“Environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar has several times told that tigers are present in the Mhadei sanctuary and central government agency has also proved it correct. But it seems this heartless BJP government is not convinced with it, only to sell the Mhadei to Karnataka,” Alemao charged.
“There is a need for tiger conservation in the Western Ghats. But this adamant government is not ready to accept the presence of tigers. They also want to turn our forests into concrete jungles by selling our land and because of this it is least bothered of this important issue,” he said.
“On the pretext of Goa’s small wildlife sanctuaries not fitting the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) criteria for setting up a Tiger reserve, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is trying to divert the attention and misguide people of the state. With the tigers spotted in Goa in the year 2014 and 2018, there is increasing demand for the constitution of Tiger Reserve in Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, but the government is turning Nelson’s Eye over it,” he said.
“Notifying the tiger reserve would make the State’s case against Karnataka stronger to stop diversion of water from Mhadei wildlife sanctuary. But Pramod Sawant doesn’t want it as BJP have compromised Mhadei for votes in Karnataka,” Alemao charged.
“Tiger helps ecological balance. We need to protect them and also our environment,” he said.
