Goa govt urges Centre to exclude 40 villages from list of eco-sensitive areas

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. File Pic

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said the state government wants a central committee to exclude 40 villages from the list of eco-sensitive areas in Western Ghats of the coastal state, reported news agency PTI.

Talking to reporters, Sawant said he has been following up the issue of eco-sensitive areas in Goa since 2019 with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, reported PTI.

The state government has demanded that 40 out of the 99 villages, identified by the central government's committee on the Western Ghats, be excluded from the list, he said, reported PTI.

"If they want, they can add 10 more villages (currently not identified in the list) in the eco-sensitive areas, so that the total villages will be 69," the CM said.

The chief minister on Monday met a team of the central ministry's committee led by retired IFS officer Sanjay Kumar. The team was in Goa to meet stakeholders from the Western Ghats area of the state, reported PTI.

The team held hearings in Quepem and Sattari talukas.

Sawant said the notification of villages as eco-sensitive areas prohibits only the "red industry" and certain commercial activities within them. People can continue their daily activities including construction of houses in these villages, he added, reported PTI.

In July 2022, the Union ministry issued a draft notification proposing that 99 Goan villages spread over 1,461 square kilometres be declared as eco-sensitive areas, reported PTI.

The Kasturirangan Committee on the Western Ghats had identified 99 Goan villages as eco-sensitive areas.
Mhadei, Netravali, Cotigao, Bhagwan Mahavir and Bondla wildlife sanctuaries had been included in the eco-sensitive zones identified in the panel's report.

On October 12, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant visited the Manohar Parrikar Sports Complex near in Panaji, where three important events of the upcoming National Games are scheduled to be held, and inspected facilities and preparations for the sporting extravaganza, reported PTI.

The 37th edition of the multi-discipline Games will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 26. The sports complex near Panaji will host kabaddi, aquatics and table tennis matches during the fortnight-long meet. Kabaddi matches will be held from November 4 to 8, aquatics from October 29 to November 4 and table tennis competitions from October 29 to November 2, reported PTI.

During his visit to the stadium, Sawant interacted with athletes practising at the complex.

(With inputs from PTI)