Panaji: Following several complaints by the tribals living next to state’s wildlife sanctuaries, Goa government on Friday expressed the possibility of writing to the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change to relax certain rules for the local inhabitants.
The stringent buffer zone demarcated around the wildlife sanctuaries has imposed several prohibition on the people living around it in State’s talukas including Sanguem.
Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar along with former BJP MLA Subhash Faldesai on Friday met Sawant stating that the State Forest department officers were harassing the local inhabitants.
“I have met the local representatives in presence of Forest department officials. They have listed various problems faced by people living around the wildlife sanctuaries to me. We will be addressing their issues on priority,” the chief minister said.
He said “if required, state government can also write to MoEFCC requesting them to relax certain rules around the wildlife sanctuaries.”
Sawant said that many of the issues have arisen due to misunderstanding between the forest department officials and locals, which can be resolved with proper intervention.
