The Supreme Court of India has ordered a status quo in the Mhadei-Kotigaon area of Goa, a region identified by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) as a potential tiger reserve. This order effectively halts all ongoing and planned projects and development activities in the area until further notice.
The decision was made by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justices K. Vinod Chandran and Atul S. Chandurkar. The court has directed a central empowered committee (CEC) to hear all stakeholders involved in the matter and submit a report with its decision within six weeks.
This ruling stems from a petition filed by the Goa government and other parties challenging an earlier order by the Bombay High Court. The Bombay High Court had directed the state government to declare the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding areas as a tiger reserve within three months, acting on a plea from the NGO Goa Foundation, which sought the implementation of conservation measures recommended by the NTCA. The Supreme Court has sought responses from the NTCA and other relevant authorities regarding the matter.
The Bombay High Court, in its judgment, emphasized the critical link between forests and tigers, quoting the Mahabharata: "If there is no forest, then the tiger gets killed; if there is no tiger, then the forest gets destroyed. Hence, the tiger protects the forest and the forest guards the tiger!". The High Court also laid out specific directions for the Goa government, including: * Notifying the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding areas as a tiger reserve. * Preparing a Tiger Conservation Plan and submitting it to the NTCA within three months. * Seeking full assistance from the NTCA in this process. * Establishing anti-poaching camps staffed with forest guards and watchers at strategic locations. * Ensuring strict action against encroachments in protected areas.
The Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, spanning 208 square kilometers, is located in northeastern Goa, bordering Karnataka. It forms a part of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is a critical habitat for tigers and other wildlife. The NTCA's initial request for the state to declare the area a tiger reserve has faced delays due to legal and administrative hurdles. With the Supreme Court's recent order, the future of the sanctuary as a tiger reserve now depends on the recommendations of the CEC, which are expected within six weeks.
