Panaji, Jul 24 (PTI) Goa minister Vishwajit Rane said the state government will challenge in the Supreme Court Monday's Bombay High Court order to notify Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding areas as a tiger reserve.

The division bench of Justices M S Sonak and Bharat Deshpande directed the state government to take necessary steps to prepare a tiger conservation plan as contemplated by the Wildlife Protection Act and to forward the same to the National Tiger Conservation Authority within three months from notifying Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and other areas as a tiger reserve.

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Local NGO Goa Foundation had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions to the state government to notify tiger reserves as requested by the NTCA.

Asserting that the state "respects the decision of the High Court", Rane told PTI the state government was exploring all options, including challenging it in the Supreme Court.

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"As a state, we are sensitive towards the environment but at the same time, you have to understand ground realities. Those villages which were marked during the creation of wildlife sanctuaries are still awaiting rehabilitation," Rane claimed.

The Goa government had taken a decision against setting up a tiger reserve considering the welfare of people living in these areas, he added.

The strategy on the issue will be decided after discussions with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the forest minister said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)