Panaji: The Goa government has lambasted the union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) for trying to impose the findings of the K. Kasturirangan-led working group on the Western Ghats on the state administration.
In a letter addressed to Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan, state Forest Minister Alina Saldanha said that the Kasturirangan group's data was not authentic and did not reflect the ground realities in the area of the Western Ghats range located within Goa's borders.
The former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief had been roped in by the MoEF to head a 10-member high level working group to advise the central government on the recommendations made by the Madhav Gadgil-led experts panel on conservation in the Western Ghats.
The Western Ghats is a UNESCO-recognised natural heritage site comprising a contiguous forested mountain range which stretches from southern Gujarat to Kerala.
While the Gadgil report recommends stopping large scale economic activity and mining in the region, the Kasturirangan report opens up two thirds of the region for exploitation, at the same time recommending strict conservation in the remaining third of the Western Ghats region.
Saldanha has now accused the MoEF of pushing the Kasturirangan committee report findings down the Goa government's throat, despite "strong reservations" expressed by the latter.
Saldanha has also accused the working group of not consulting the state government before submitting its recommendations about the Goa region of the Western Ghats to the central ministry.
"Such recommendations, which have serious social, economic and fiscal implications and which, in a manner of speaking, impinge on the authority of the state government, cannot be unilaterally arrived at without the state government accepting the same," she said.
Comments
| Quick linksNews
National
International
Regional
Politics
Education & Career
Business
Science & Technology
Health
Views & Analysis
The Funny Side
© 2012 Awaz Multimedia & Publications. All rights reserved.
Arvind Kejriwal steals the show though BJP crushes Congress in four statesIn a "semi-final" verdict ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the BJP Sunday retained Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, snatched Rajasthan from the Congress but was denied a clear win in Delhi by the debutant Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) spectacular showing. .... More
Also Read: Delhi's RK Puram seat: AAP spokesperson Shazia Ilmi defeated by BJP
Arvind Kejriwal: Engineer who set the cat among political pigeonsThe bespectacled Kejriwal, 45, an IIT engineer by training and a revenue officer by profession, was not only able to effectively present his one-year-old political party as an alternative to the two big national parties who have ruled the national capital in the ...... More
It is true that in Kashmir today there are many tendencies, which vary from asking for total independence, Azadi to Autonomy. There will hardly be any popular support for debating or abolishing article 370 as such at broad layers. Difficult to say how many fall in which...... More
Mehmoodur Rehman committee ReportMehmoodur Rehman committee strengthens Muslim claim on Ismail Yusuf land
"We are fighting with the government as well as in court for the possession of Ismail Yusuf College and its adjoining land since last fifty years. After the recommendation made by Dr. Mehmoodur Rehman committee we are sure the .... More
Also Read: Muslim women group demands ban on 'Triple Talaq in one sitting'
