PANAJI: The Bombay high court declared the Sawantwadi-Dodamarg wildlife corridor, linking sanctuaries in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka, an ecologically sensitive area (ESA) and ordered the central government to submit a proposal in this regard; but only five village panchayats have taken a resolution in support of ESA, whereas the remaining 20 panchayats have opposed it, citing it as a restriction for developmental activities.
A division bench comprising Justice Dhananjay Chandrachud and Justice Mahesh Sonak instructed secretaries from the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) and the state environ-ment ministry to prepare the proposal and declare the Sawantwadi-Dodamarg stretch, in the 35-km-long and 10-km-wide green ribbon, connecting Anshi Dandeli, Bhimgad and Radhanagari sanctuaries, as eco-sensitive.
In an affidavit submitted to the high court in September 2013, the ministry of environment and forests had stated that it was willing to consider a proposal to declare the corridor as an ESA; and also admitted that the state government had considered the floral, faunal and ecological importance of the area, while declaring it an ESA, as it would benefit the protection and conservation of the ecosystem.
It is not only the flora and fauna that would benefit by labelling the area as ecologically eco-sensitive, but also the villagers whose very existence was being threatened by the predatory mining lobby, which has about 30 of open-cast mining projects waiting for a green signal.
"Kumbral, Panturli, Talkat, Shirval, Ugade, Kalane, Bhike-Konal, Kumbhavade, Khadpade, Bhekurli and Fukeri panchayats of Dodamarg taluka have opposed declaration of their areas as eco-sensitive, while Zolambe and Kolzar panchayats have passed resolution in support of ESA," said S M Chavan, block development officer, Dodamarg.
Speaking to TOI, Kolzar sarpanch Sushila Vasant Kaskar said, "We don't want mining in our area as the region is rich in forest and villagers are happy with the earning from agriculture and horticulture."
In Sawantwadi taluka, Padve-Majgao, Bhalaval, Sarmale, Otavane, Dharpi and Udeli panchayats have opposed declaring their villages as eco-sensitive. V M Naik, the extension officer at Sawantwadi BDO said, "The village panchayats of Tamboli, Konshi-Dabhil and Asaniye in our taluka have passed resolution for declaring their villages as ESA."
The high level working group under Kasturirangan has completely banned mining, quarrying and sand mining, besides thermal power plants and the red category of industries in the ESA.
Hydropower and wind energy projects will be permitted in the ESA, subject to stringent conditions.
New construction projects of more than two lakh sq ft, which includes township and area development project, as well as other projects or activities, will be banned in the ESA, as recommended by the HLWG.
Sumaira Abdulali, convener of Awaaz Foundation, had filed a PIL in the Bombay high court in 2011 seeking declaration of the Sawantwadi-Dodamarg wildlife corridor as an eco-sensitive area.
The deputy conservator of forests of Sawantwadi, Tukaram Salunke, filed an affidavit before the court on behalf of forest department that majority of the village panchayats from Dodamarg-Sawantwadi have opposed declaring these areas as ESA and recommended declaring these areas as conservation reserves.
D Stalin of Vanashakti, speaking to TOI from Mumbai, said, "We want the crucial tiger corridor of Dodamarg-Sawantwadi to be given legal protection and we are hopeful that area rich in tiger population and other elements of biodiversity will be declared as ESA."
