Goa, Nov. 25 -- The Supreme Court's Central Empowered Committee directing Goa to notify a tiger reserve in two phases has been hailed as a major victory by environmentalist and Goa Forward Party convenor Vijai Sardesai. He, however, stressed that the State must ensure full protection of the rights and livelihoods of forest-dwelling communities. The CEC was constituted by the Supreme Court after the Goa government challenged a July 2023 High Court order to declare a tiger reserve over the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and adjacent regions, covering approximately 750 sq km of the Western Ghats.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Herald Goa....