PANAJI, Feb. 3 -- The Goa government has opposed the report of the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) recommending the notification of a tiger reserve in the state, calling it "vague and without legal or factual basis."

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, Goa's additional principal chief conservator of forests, K. Ramesh Kumar, said the committee, which submitted its report to the top court in November last year, failed to "apply its mind" to the ground reality. The top court had earlier asked the committee to examine the issue.

Goa approached the Supreme Court to challenge a July 2023 high court order mandating the creation of a 745-sq km reserve in the Mhadei region - a move the state has resisted for ye...