Digital Goa, September 8 – In a setback of sorts to the Goa govt, the Supreme Court has stayed any developments in the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding areas in view of decision on matter related to declaring the area as a tiger reserve. The apex court has referred the matter of the tiger reserve to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) for a report within two weeks. The CEC will hear all stakeholders, including the petitioner and the government, informed petitioner Goa Foundation. The Supreme Court will hear the matter again in six weeks after considering the submissions of all parties based on the CEC report. The court’s order came on a petition seeking directions to the state government to notify Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve as requested by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). In Oct 2024, also NTCA had told SC in a affidavit that it had asked the state to declare Mhadei WLS a tiger reserve, rejecting the claim that it was just a suggestion. NTCA had said in the affidavit that the request was based on tiger population, ecology, landscape connectivity, and expert inputs.
