Western Ghats News

CM takes umbrage at eco tag for Western Ghats
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2002 10:33:40 PM ]
PANAJI: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said the state government should have been consulted before the Central Government decided to declare a vast area in the Western Ghats `ecologically-sensitive'.

Responding to a question raised during zero hour by the opposition leader Pratapsingh Rane that the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment had in principle agreed to declare 7,350 sqkm as ecologically sensitive area, Parrikar said there were areas in the forests under human habitation.

Parrikar said crores of rupees were required for the rehabilitation of the villages in forest areas, and hence the state government should have been consulted before the Union Ministry took a decision. The Union Ministry had appointed a one-man committee under Claude Alvares of the Goa Foundation.

Referring to his almost 20 years stint at having handled the forests of Goa as minister, Rane said, many areas in the state in Sattari and Sanguem taluks were covered under Mahadayi and Netravati sanctuary. Several villages were located inside the areas.

The government informed the House it had already moved Supreme Court to seek a remedy following convergence of habitation along the sanctuary belt.