PANAJI: The smallest state of the country with an area of 3,702 SQKM has transferred nearly 150 hectares of forest land, rich in biodiversity and home to many endemic animals and plants, for last year’s power projects – the third highest behind Arunachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, each -Masing 23- and 66 times the size of Goa.
When it comes to the transfer of forest land for each linear project, the train, power or water-cave is among the top 10 in this country, according to a report with Delhi-based legal initiatives for forests and the environment.
The only transfer proposed in the cave which was rejected by one of the committees was to mining near Bondla wildlife asylum.
“Three projects for the transmission channel transfer an area of 69.41 hectares, 48.3 hectares and 28.24 hectares, lying adjacent to each other, approved in North and South District Goa in April 2020 by the regional empowerment committee (Rec) Bengaluru.
Recommendations for Transfer of 69.41 hectares of forest land to put Xeldem into the Mapusa transmission line has also been given, “said the report.
The report said that the diverted areas seemed to be visited by wild animals such as Gaur India, leopards, wild boar, sambar deer, forest rabbits, snakes and avifauna.
However, the Deputy Conservator of North Goa Forest said there was no direct sighting during the location inspection.
But the Deputy Conservator agreed that tigers, Panthers, Gaurs, leopards, Bear Sloth, Python, Loris were slim and the white stomach trigger was present inside and around the forest land proposed for diversion.
The construction of the Xeldem transmission line will divert 48.3 hectares of medium forest land to very crowded, which 36.76 hectares will come from the North Goa Forest division and 11.54 hectares of Wildlife Sanctuary Bhagwan Mahaveer.
“Forest land supports the density of 0.8 canopy and the project will require felling of 15,772 trees,” said the agency based in Delhi.
This report has analyzed all permits for forest cleaning given throughout the 2020 throughout the country by the Forest Advisor Committee (FAC) and the Regional Empowerment Committee (REC), which is a forest law (conservation), 1980.
While nearly 400 hectares of forest land recommended In 2020 for diversion in Arunachal Pradesh for power transmission lines and Uttar Pradesh diverted more than 310HA, Goa diverted 146.5 hectares for the power line project.
The only rejection of forest land in Goa by REC Bengaluru is 2 hectares of forest who are considered in Sattari Taluka for the purpose of excavation “the proposed area is located near the Bondla wildlife sanctuary.
This area is on the slopes and receives heavy rainfall.
Along with ecological reasons, The non-compliance of the conditions imposed related to planting (plantation 10 times the number of trees cut down for the approval given for the transfer of 0.9 hectares) is the cause of rejection, “the report said.
In 1 year, Goa is transferred near 150 hectares forest land for power projects
