Panaji: Goa Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane on Friday said the state government will submit its final report on the identification and protection of private forests before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) by the end of July or in the first week of August, marking the culmination of a long-drawn exercise to safeguard ecologically sensitive land.
In a statement issued here, Rane said hearings in the matter by state Forest Department officials have been “almost completed”, and the state will also inform the Supreme Court after filing the final report before the National Green Tribunal.
“The final report on private forests will be filed before the NGT by the end of July or in the first week of August, and intimation will also be given to the Supreme Court. Almost all hearings have been completed,” he said.
The minister also announced that the state government has filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court opposing the removal of any land from the identified private forest areas.
Rane said the affidavit covers all 554 survey numbers identified as private forests, ensuring that none of these parcels can be excluded from protection.
“All the 554 survey numbers have been specifically mentioned in the affidavit. They now have two layers of protection,” he said.
He said the additional protection comes from the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department, which has brought these areas under No Development Area (NDA) provisions through Section 39(A) of the Goa Town and Country Planning Act.
Describing Section 39(A) as a landmark conservation measure, Rane said it permanently protects ecologically sensitive land from conversion.
“Gone are the days when any kind of land could be converted by the Town and Country Planning Department. Section 39(A) is a saviour and protector of land. It will protect these areas for posterity,” he said.
The minister said the government has recently notified 89.65 lakh square metres of land as No Development Zone (NDZ), including Vagheri Hill in Sattari taluka, which has also been declared an ecologically vulnerable area by the Forest Department.
He added that ecologically vulnerable areas along the Mandovi and Zuari rivers would also be notified under Section 39(A) based on the Forest Department’s recommendations.
Rane further said the government has decided that the TCP Department will not issue No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for any development in private forests, eco-sensitive areas, khazan lands, and low-lying fields.
The minister said the combined measures taken by the Forest and TCP departments would ensure permanent protection of Goa’s ecologically fragile landscapes while preventing indiscriminate land conversion.
