Slamming the adamant attitude of Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane on challenging the HC verdict on tiger reserve in the Supreme Court, activists have stated that the minister should spend money from his own pocket in that case and not public exchequer’s money.
Addressing reporters at Azad Maidan in Panaji on Thursday, activist Rajan Ghate, who has been spearheading the movement of tiger reserve to save river Mhadei, stated that crores of money have already been spent in the name of saving Mhadei but nothing concrete has come out.
“Now, we have been given an opportunity not only to save the tiger but the River Mhadei as well by the directives of the HC to declare tiger reserve,” said Ghate, while adding that instead of working towards implementing the order, the Health Minister is adamantly stating that the order would be challenged in the SC.
“We are demanding that the minister should spend money from his own pocket instead of wasting public exchequer’s money as the issue is just not about one taluka but the entire State,” Ghate informed.
He further slammed the minister and his MLA wife in misleading the public by stating that thousands would be displaced if a tiger reserve is declared.
“Noted environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar has already stated that only six families would have to be rehabilitated as they would fall in the core area. Those falling in the buffer area would not have to be shifted,” Ghate stated and alleged that there appears to be some personal agenda behind the statements that the verdict would be challenged. “Therefore, the minister should spend his own money if he wants to challenge the verdict in the SC,” Ghate stated.
Another activist Mariano Ferrao also spoke.
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