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Tiger Reserve Status Threatens Goa Project
16 Oct
Summary
- Goa Foundation urges NTCA to halt Tamnar project approvals immediately.
- Bombay High Court ordered Goa to notify areas as a tiger reserve.
- A 2022 report highlights Goa's small tiger population and habitat challenges.
Goa Foundation has requested the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to immediately suspend all approvals for the Tamnar project. This plea comes in response to a 2023 Bombay High Court order directing the Goa government to designate specific areas as a tiger reserve, based on NTCA recommendations. The foundation asserts that essential forest and wildlife clearances for the Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Limited (GTTPL) were issued without the authorities being informed of this court directive.
Previously recognized as a tiger corridor, the area underwent realignment for a 400kV transmission line. However, following the High Court's ruling, which has not been stayed by the Supreme Court despite an appeal, GTTPL's projects now fall within the proposed tiger reserve. An August 8, 2025, Supreme Court order further mandates maintaining the status quo in areas designated for the reserve, effectively preventing new project clearances.
Supporting its stance, the foundation referenced the Centre's 2022 report, which identifies Goa's Kali-Mhadei landscape as ecologically significant for tigers. The report estimates five tigers in Goa and notes unplanned development, particularly linear infrastructure, as a primary threat to tiger recovery in the region.
