Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Jul 16: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has asked the Goa government to urgently submit village-wise forest cover details of 108 villages identified as part of the Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA), as per its draft notification issued in August last year.
In a letter addressed to the chief secretary last month, Dr S Kerketta, Member Convenor of the Western Ghat ESA Committee, emphasised that the data must be furnished on a priority basis.
The ministry has specifically sought details for each of the 108 villages, including non-forest areas, recorded forest land, private forests, and overall forest and tree cover.
Earlier in January, the MoEF&CC had also directed the State to submit a revised proposal justifying the exclusion of 21 villages from the ESA list. The Centre is now looking for information on existing legal protections, schemes, and proposed measures to conserve biodiversity—covering flora, fauna, water resources, land use, and other environmental concerns—in the villages proposed for exclusion.
As per the Centre’s draft notification, 108 villages in Goa were originally identified as part of the Western Ghats ESA. However, the Goa government, in its submission, proposed that only 87 of these villages be retained, recommending the exclusion of 21 villages—12 from Sattari, five from Dharbandora, three from Sanguem, and one from Canacona taluka.
An expert committee from the MoEF&CC had conducted a ground-level assessment between November 26 and 28 last year. After their visit and discussions with the Goa government, the Centre asked for a revised and detailed proposal.
During consultations, State officials expressed concern over how the ESA tag might impact local livelihoods. They highlighted that many communities in the proposed ESA zones depend on the extraction of minor minerals. A ban on such activity, officials argued, would hurt employment and make Goa reliant on external sources for its mineral needs.
The Ministry’s final decision is expected to follow after reviewing the updated forest data and revised proposal from the State government.