- Panaji: Goa Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane on Thursday laid scathing attack on NGO which went to the court in connection with Tiger Reserve in Mhadei wildlife sanctuary terming it as a pain for Goa.
Speaking during demands for grants for Forest department during ongoing monsoon session of the House, Rane said that Goa Foundation was imposing obstructive policies in the state of Goa, which is a progressive state. “Goa Foundation is a pain to Goa,” he commented.
The Goa Bench of Bombay High Court this week has given an order to declare Mhadei wildlife sanctuary and surrounding areas as Tiger reserve. The order was given in response to the Public Interest Litigation filed by NGO Goa Foundation.
Rane said that the state government has received the order on Tiger Reserve. He said that the state government will have to consider the lives of the people who are living in the wildlife sanctuary, which is ordered to be notified as Tiger Reserve.
“Lot of people do not under plight of the people living in the forest. With the order for tiger reserve being given by the court, we have to come forward and take the stand. None of them (people in wildlife) will be able to do any kind of activity. It would be very stringent,” he said.
Rane said that people’s interest has to be protected. “It is easy for some NGO to go to the court. This NGO (Goa Foundation) has a habit of going to the court,” he said adding that this is something to do with the life of the people. “we feel that we have to defend these people. Already there are wildlife parks, wildlife sanctuaries in the state,” he added.
