Team Goemkarponn
MARGAO: Madganvcho Awaaz & youth leader Prabhav Naik has alleged that former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat failed to act on a proposal to declare the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve, despite a recommendation from the Union government in 2011.
Referring to Project Tiger, launched on April 1, 1973, under then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Naik said the initiative was a visionary step to protect India’s national animal. He stated that on June 28, 2011, then Union Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh had written to the Goa government urging the declaration of the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve, but no action was taken.
Highlighting a copy of the letter addressed to Kamat, Naik claimed that notifying Mhadei as a Tiger Reserve would have significantly strengthened Goa’s position in resisting attempts by Karnataka to divert Mhadei river water. He said that with inter-state disputes over Mhadei waters intensifying, the missed opportunity has had far-reaching consequences.
According to Naik, stronger protection under Project Tiger could have acted as both a legal and environmental shield, helping safeguard Goa’s lifeline river. He added that the declaration would also have boosted wildlife conservation, eco-tourism, and sustainable development opportunities for local communities.
Madganvcho Awaaz condemned what it termed a serious lapse and demanded a clear explanation from current PWD Minister Digambar Kamat for not acting at the crucial time. Naik also questioned whether the silence then was a deliberate move to safeguard his Chief Minister’s chair, stating that the people of Goa deserve answers on the issue.
