Wildlife activists raise concerns over Goa’s plans to commence eco-venture activities in core forest area

KERI: Forest minister Vishwajit Rane’s plans to put in place a 10 year roadmap to develop Sattari as an ecotourism destination has raised alarm bells among environmentalists and locals. Citing the destruction being presently wrought on the taluka’s fragile forest ecology by undisciplined visitors, they raised worries about the proposed eco venture at Paikacho Sado.

The region’s forests are home to not only the tiger, but also several other wild animals and reptiles. At Paikacho Sado, where the forest department has proposed to set up camping sites, the movements of tigers, among others, have been caught on camera traps.

With the state having lost almost five tigers between 2009 and 2020, in the lower regions of Sattari’s forests, and with the knowledge that presently one male and two female tigers have taken refuge in the upper reaches of Surla and border areas of the Chorla Ghat, environmentalists are opposed to the idea of camping sites within forest areas.

“In Mollem and Bondla, the forest department has already established necessary infrastructure for camping sites. Jeeps also are plying on the jungle road to Dudhasagar waterfalls. If tourists are brought to Paikacho Sado, it will intensify the human-wildlife conflict. Government should make use of already existing infrastructure, before planning to establish new one,” wildlifer Amrut Singh told TOI.

Rane has decided to appoint the Goa Forest Development Corporation as the nodal agency for conducting jeep safaris, starting camping sites and night trails in sanctuaries and park areas.

“Since the past two years, more than three dozen domesticated animals have been attacked and killed by tigers in Surla and the border areas of Goa and Karnataka. Recently, sloth bears also attacked a person in the vicinity of Paikacho Sado,” Singh said.

Wildlifers expressed their apprehensions over starting eco-tourism initiatives in core forest areas and urged the forest department to establish camping sites near Naikwada in Surla instead, along with a Nature Interpretation Centre and bird and butterfly watching, star gazing and nature trails, without disturbing the wildlife habitat.

“Our department is very keen on undertaking ecotourism ventures in the areas of the Mhadei sanctuary. However, utmost care will be taken not to disturb the natural habitat,” additional principal chief conservator of forests Santosh Kumar told TOI.

“I will ask the deputy conservator concerned to look into the issues raised and take the necessary steps before undertaking the initiatives,” he added.