Rane says order 'dangerous', will get it vacated by SC 'at any cost'

PANAJI: After the high court of Bombay at Goa on Monday directed the Goa government to notify a tiger reserve, forest minister Vishwajit Rane said that the government would immediately approach the Supreme Court to have the HC order vacated, reports Gauree Malkarnekar. He said the high court order can have "dangerous repercussions" if implemented.
Rane also said that the people of Sattari need not be unsettled by the judgement."We have to get this judgement vacated at any cost," he said.
"I had a detailed discussion with chief minister Pramod Sawant and AG Devidas Pangam on the implications of the high court decision giving directions to the state government to notify the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary and peripheral areas as a tiger reserve. After examining the order, we shall explore all options before approaching the Supreme Court to have this order vacated," said Rane.
Where will we rehabilitate people if entire village is notified: Rane
We respect the decision taken by the high court, but as a state government, we will stand by the decision taken by the state wildlife board,” he said, referring to the recent meeting of the board where it said the tiger reserve proposal is not suited for Goa.
Rane said sufficient measures are already in place to protect Goa’s sanctuary areas.
“We have taken a lot of measures for the protection of sanctuary areas in Goa. Going beyond this can prove problematic for the people residing in the forest areas. And we cannot see this and keep quiet as the government and as elected representatives. This is a serious issue. It will have dangerous repercussions. Asthe state government, it is our right to explore our options,” said Rane.
The minister said the state is already finding it difficult to rehabilitate those residing in habitations inside the wildlife sanctuaries of Goa.
“Where will we rehabilitate them when the entire village is notified? Development will have to then stop. The decision taken by the high court is good, but we have to think about what is best for the state. We have been elected by the people. We also feel that somewhere, we need to protect the interest of our people,” said Rane.
He said that not only will people from his and his wife’s constituencies in Sattari taluka be affected by the high court judgment, but it will have larger implications.
“It is not only a question of the people of Sattari, the high court judgment has asked peripheral areas also to be notified. The people of Sattari need not get unsettled by this. This government will stand by the interests of the people, and there is no question of letting the people down. We feel the decision we had taken in the wildlife board is proper and we have to defend this now in the Supreme Court,” said Rane.
He said the government’s stand has been consistent on the tiger reserve issue right from the start.
“Discussions are also on with officials of the Union environment ministry. We will represent before the Supreme Court what we feel is in the interest of the state. I have sat over the last two hours reading the entire judgment. Our lawyers will keep the state’s say before the Supreme Court and get justice for the state,” he said.