Why did Digambar Kamat fail to act on Mhadei Tiger Reserve in 2011? : Madganvcho Awaaz

Margao: With the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) visiting Goa to study the proposal for declaring Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve, Madganvcho Awaaz and Youth Leader Prabhav Naik have questioned then Chief Minister and now defector MLA turned Minister Digambar Kamat over his failure to act on the proposal in 2011.

Prabhav Naik pointed out that the proposal to declare Mhadei as a Tiger Reserve was placed before the Goa Government in 2011 by the then Union Minister for Environment & Forests Jairam Ramesh, supported by scientific studies and field evidence indicating that tigers in Goa are not transient animals but a resident population. Despite this, the then Chief Minister Digambar Kamat allegedly chose not to move the proposal forward.

Welcoming the CEC’s visit, Naik expressed hope that the committee’s findings will finally bring long-overdue justice to Mhadei and to Goa’s rich natural heritage. “The Mhadei Tiger Reserve is not just about protecting tigers, it’s about protecting Goa’s identity, ecology, and future generations,” he stated.

He further highlighted that the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary forms part of a vital contiguous tiger landscape, linking Goa’s forests with the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary and Anshi-Dandeli Tiger Reserve in Karnataka, which together host a stable tiger population. “Goa’s forests are an ecological treasure. Had the government acted promptly, Mhadei would have been a protected Tiger Reserve over a decade ago,” Naik said.

Citing the 2008 study by the Wildlife Institute of India, Naik reminded that the report had identified Goa’s protected areas and contiguous forests as some of the best potential tiger habitats in the Western Ghats, urgently requiring enhanced protection and scientific management. “That report was a wake-up call, but unfortunately, those in power hit the snooze button,” he remarked.

Naik also noted that there is strong local community support for the creation of the Tiger Reserve, as it would not only protect Mother Mhadei river and the state’s biodiversity but also promote sustainable eco-tourism and livelihood opportunities for local residents. “Conservation and community welfare can go hand in hand, it’s political will that has been missing,” he added.