PANAJI: Animal safaris will be provided in Goa on the lines of such safaris offered at Kevadia, Gujarat, forest minister Vishwajit Rane said on Tuesday. Rane said that he has already discussed the plan with the Union minister. The state is looking at working on the project in collaboration with the central government, he said. "Following in the footsteps of an animal safari developed in Kevadia, we sought advice from the Union minister to work closely with the ministry in the development of a state-of-the-art animal safari in Goa," Rane said. Rane met Union minister for environment, forest and climate change Bhupendra Yadav. During the meeting, a development plan for Bondla zoo was also discussed. The zoo will be upgraded to showcase fauna found in the Western Ghats, Rane said. "We also discussed the Bondla Zoological Park's integrated and holistic development to showcase the diverse fauna of the Western Ghats and other regions in a naturalistic setting. A master plan, including such proposals, has already been submitted to Central Zoo Authority," said Rane. The minister said that a proposal for maintenance of Goa's grasslands is also on the cards. "I discussed various proposals, viz, integrated development of wildlife habitat under which we have sought approval for maintenance of grasslands, enrichment plantation with fruit-bearing trees, creation and maintenance of forest roads, nature camping facility in protected areas, etc," the minister said. He said that the proposals discussed also included creation of artificial watering holes in protected areas of Goa using solar pumps and nature guide training programmes and capacity building of local youth for eco-tourism activities.
Panaji: The state forest department has embarked on an ambitious 10-year roadmap to turn Goa’s forests — part of the internationally-recognised Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot — into a safari destination.From luxury tents and wildlife trips to deep sea expeditions and turtle nesting tours, the forest department has come up with several strategies to unlock the state’s rich wildlife sanctuaries and biodiversity for locals and tourists. “I want to develop safaris,” said forest minister Vishwajit Rane. “You cannot have animals in a cage for this. You need to have an ecosystem, and this is not a one or two year work. It has to start now, and over the next ten years, you may start seeing some results.” Outlining his plan after chairing a meeting with the department, Rane said that priority areas have been identified where eco-tourism activities will be set up — Cotigao, Galgibaga, Netravali, Molcornem, Surla and Chorla.The state has three wildlife sanctuaries, but most of these remain inaccessible and out of bounds for wildlife lovers. The state also has four turtle conservation and nesting sites at Morjim and Mandrem in Pernem, and Agonda and Galgibaga in Canacona. Rane aims to increase these, while also introducing guided tours for students and tourists. Also being considered is a 120km walking trail linking the Cotigao wildlife sanctuary, the forests of Netravali, Bhagwan Mahavir wildlife sanctuary, and the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary upto Chorla ghat. Along with this, facilities for recreational vehicles or camper vans and luxury tent camping sites at Surla and Nanoda are also being discussed, said Rane, who is interested in wildlife photography.The state government has roped in former principal conservator of forests Vinay Luthra as advisor. Rane met Luthra, Goa’s principal chief conservator of forests Rajiv Kumar Gupta, and additional principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden Santosh Kumar, to prepare the roadmap. “We have taken Luthra on as an advisor to the minister for forests, and at the same time, he will have a role to play in the GFDC to see how we can increase activities in the wildlife sanctuaries. At the same time, in Goa, we will come up with a forest development and forest management plan,” said Rane.While the wildlife safaris are at least 10 years away, in the short term, the department intends to start camping sites, kayaking, cycling tracks and hiking trails, beginning with Cotigao. These plans coincide with the state government’s push towards hinterland tourism. The minister said that the department can develop two camping sites immediately by spending Rs 2-3 crore at the Bhagwan Mahavir wildlife sanctuary and at Cotigao, while a similar camping site at Nanoda will be set up through the PPP route. Aware that there will be resistance, Rane said that the department will involve the locals, particularly by training local youth as guides. Among other plans, the forest department hopes to upgrade the Bondla zoo, and create natural habitats for wild animals and bird watching sites.“There is no law that says that people cannot enter forests. We want to make it very friendly. We want to have a proactive approach so that Goans do not have to go far. They can go on a Saturday or Sunday to a wildlife park, or for a trek, or on a trail walk,” said Rane.
Panaji: A written reply in the Rajya Sabha by the Union government stating that the controversial bungalow at Old Goa was built in violation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, is perhaps a further endorsement of action taken by state departments.Union minister for tourism and culture, G Kishan Reddy in a written reply to Trinamool Congress MP, Luizinho Faleiro, on July 29 stated that the building is within the protected area of St Cajetan Church and that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has issued showcause notices to the project promoter.The Union government’s reply throws light on several incorrect statements about the illegal bungalow at Old Goa. A few MLAs said during the recent assembly debate that the construction falls in the buffer zone, at a distance of less than 300m, from the ASI monument — the Church of St Cajetan.“The buffer zone does not apply here, as the plot of survey no 4/1 has been statutorily listed as the protected area of the Largo of St Cajetan and connected ruins,” architect and heritage activist, Tahir Noronha, said.Activists have also disagreed with town and country planning (TCP) minister Vishwajit Rane’s statement that TCP only gave permission to the bungalow after the National Monument Authority (NMA) did.On June 1, 1968, ASI had declared the plot of survey no 4/1 as the Largo’s protected area along with other monuments in Old Goa after seeking public opinion. The buffer zones were introduced only after the ASI act was amended in 2011, which also envisaged setting up of the NMA for scrutinising construction activity between 100 and 300m from the protected area. “NMA has no jurisdiction in this plot (of the bungalow) and as per RTI replies, no central government department gave permission before the TCP did,” Noronha said.In a written reply to AAP MLA Cruz Silva, the TCP has projected an ASI letter from 2020 as NMA permission. “ASI and NMA are two different departments,” he said.
Panaji: While the Centre has been forced to admit that an unauthorised bungalow has come up close to the Old Goa Unesco heritage site, the state government continues to delay action against the structure, said TMC on Saturday. It also questioned the BJP-led government’s failure to demolish the structure, and demanded immediate action.Union minister for tourism and culture G Krishan Reddy, in a reply to TMC national vice-president Luizinho Faleiro, admitted that laws were violated when the structure came up.Highlighting Reddy’s statement, Goa TMC functionaries Trajano D’Mello, Samil Volvaiker and Pratibha Borkar launched a scathing attack on the government for its inaction and failure to take a clear stand on the matter.Volvaiker said that more than seven months have lapsed since the case was filed before the director of panchayats. “The failure of the panchayat department to demolish the structure only brings to the fore BJP government’s vested interests,” he said. tnn
