PANAJI: Facing flak for his remarks against the need for a tiger reserve in Goa, forest minister Vishwajit Rane on Saturday hit out at his critics, saying that he is a “person who is educated” and that he doesn’t require environmentalists and NGOs to advise him. He said that Goa is too small for a tiger reserve, and there’s no proposal to declare one.
“My job as forest minister is to do something for Goa and (to do it) in a very professional manner,” he said.
“If somebody thinks I am going to get disheartened and move away from my existing agenda, I am not, and definitely don’t feel a tiger reserve is meant for Goa. I stand by my decision and won’t change it because somebody criticised me.”
Rane instead pushed for eco-tourism in Goa.
“I have a vision for the forest department. We need to build eco-tourism, and many times, I see people take one statement and try to turn it around and twist it around without understanding it,” he said.
On Friday, Rane had said that there is no proof that Goa has any resident tigers, and that there is no need for a tiger reserve in Goa. His comments had drawn condemnation online. Clarifying his position on Saturday, he said that Goa is a small state and that tiger reserves are meant for bigger states. “We have various issues such as buffers (zones) and other issues,” he said. “If I start reading from the (law) what is required to declare a tiger reserve, the people will understand what I am trying to say.”
The forest minister again referred to his wildlife credentials. “I have a hobby and am passionate about wildlife photography,” he said. “I have spent more than 20 years in various forests to understand forest management and forest planning. I see many times, people troll you over a particular statement and mock you without even understanding what the laws of forests are.” He also added that he comes from a constituency (Valpoi) that is situated in the Western Ghats.
On Friday, too, Rane suggested that his critics visit parks like Ranthambore and Dudhwa like he does, to see how sanctuaries are managed.
“We all understand that environmentalists are very passionate about the state of Goa, and we are also equally passionate”, he said, and asked environmentalists if they’ve prepared any kind of study to tell the government how forest management has to be done. “I am going to do this professionally. I don’t require environmentalists and NGOs to advise me,” he said. “I am a person who is educated and as a minister, I don’t say I know everything but I do need advice, and I will take advice from retired IFS officers and the forest research institute, Dehradun.”
Meanwhile, Rane expressed his displeasure at the current state of the Bondla wildlife sanctuary, and said that retired officers would be deployed to various projects, including the enhancement of Bondla, to bring it on the eco-tourism map.
He also said he would share phone numbers and email addresses to report corruption in his departments.
