People must have already have read about the declaration of two new protected areas in Goa and about the already increasing pressures for denotification.

Infact newspaper reports over the past week or so have been talking of this. A Navhind Times Editorial ( one of the leading English dailys in Goa) speaks of the Luizinho Faleiro government in Goa wanting to denotify these areas. Indian Express has also covered this issue on August 6, 1999 in its "Eco-Vigil".

These areas form corridors between existing PAs and are subject to a lot of pressure, especially from commercial forces. One of the chief culprits is mining. Kalpavriksh has been investigating into mining around the Goa's PAs and has found considerable pressure due to this. In fact areas from the old and established PAs (declared in the 60s) have been denotified to allow mining and mineral transport, though stating that this is being done to exclude populations.

The position of the forest department before the declaration of the new PAs has been that people will not be displaced and rights sustainable with the objectives of conservation will be allowed to continue. But vested interests are using this opportunity to mislead both local people and decision makers. What we need to do presently is both laud the Goa Government for declaring these areas protected ( the notifications were issued during President's rule, due to enlightened leadership of the Governor !) and express our concern about the threat of denotification.

A protest letter addressed to the Chief Minister of Goa is attached below this article and we would encourage you to send it. You can also send your individual letters to the Goa Chief Minister at (cmgoa@goa.goa.nic.in)

Regards,
Neeraj Vagholikar
Kalpavriksh

Letter to Goa's Chief Minister:

Mr. Luizinho Faleiro
Chief Minister of Goa,
Panaji, Goa.

Dear Mr. Faleiro,

I am extremely pleased to know that the entire Western Ghats in Goa has now come under the protected area network with the declaration of the Madei and Netravali Sanctuaries. This will go a long way in ensuring the long-term survival of this area which has been identified as one of the eighteen biodiversity hotspots in the world. It will also protect the water security of lakhs of Goans as this region harvests the rainwater that flows in its rivers.

But along with my joy is a concern. I'm hearing from newspaper reports and communications from local activists that there is pressure to denotify these new protected areas. I understand that vested interests are trying to create an impression that declaration of sanctuaries means that people are either going to be displaced or face severe hardships and curtailment of their rights. I would like to bring to your notice that by exercising section 24 (2)c of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, it is possible to allow rights sustainable with the objectives of conservation to continue, rather than displace people or exclude inhabited areas from the sanctuary.

A participatory model of conservation, involving local people, will help achieve both the purpose of conservation as also the livelihood security of forest dwellers. This will also keep out destructive forces which are prone to come in if deletions/denotifications are resorted to. Innovative livelihood schemes within and around PAs, will also help to ensure that local people become allies in conservation. Examples of such efforts are available from different parts of our country and abroad.

I hope that positive steps taken to ensure Goa's ecological security are not undone for short term gains, and areas of ecological importance are not denotified for commercial lobbies in the name of local people.

Thanking you,

Sincerely,