Buffer zone of 5 kms around sanctuaries finalised
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 23 July 2012 13:39 ISTForest and environment minister Alina Saldanha has said that the government has already decided five kms of buffer zone around the wild life sanctuaries and it would not be changed.
The issue was raised by Sanguem MLA Subhash Phaldesai in the Assembly today.
Neturlim is one wild life sanctuary that falls in Sanguem constituency,
According to Phaldesai, having such a big buffer zone would prohibit people from carrying out any activity including constructing a house, cultivation of land or constructing a small road.
“It will affect the basic livelihood of the people in Neturlim area”, he pointed out.
Saldanha was however firm on her decision.
“The buffer zones are already decided. Now you wait for the report”, she said.
The buffer zones are decided by the district level committees, constituted under the deputy conservators of forest district-wise.
Though the sarpanchas of respective villages are members of the committees, Phaldesai said their objections to these buffer zones have not been considered by the committee.
“Let the Sarpanch object to it in writing before the committee”, said chief minister Manohar Parrikar.
The buffer zones have been suggested by environmental groups and the committees constituted to protect the wild life and the natural vegetation in the forest areas.
The issue has become pertinent as uncontrolled mining activity in Goa is resulting into destruction of forest belt and the sanctuaries.