Goa govt's reluctance to declare state's forests as tiger reserve 'nail in the coffin' for Mhadei river: Outfit

Panaji: The Mhadei Bachao Abhiyaan on Friday criticised the Goa government for its alleged reluctance in declaring the state's forests as a tiger reserve.

The State Wildlife Board, in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday, had rejected tiger reserve demands made by several non-government organisations (NGOs).

"If the tiger reserve demand was accepted, then it would have strengthened Goa's case against Karnataka in the Mhadei river dispute. One step would have solved the entire issue. The state government's refusal is another nail in the coffin of Mhadei river," MBA president Nirmala Sawant told reporters here.

Goa and Karnataka are embroiled in a dispute over the sharing of Mahdei river water and the former has often accused its southern neighbour of going ahead with construction unilaterally by ignoring norms.

She also said declaring the state's forests as tiger reserve would have also gone a long way in protecting the Western Ghats.

The Mhadei Bachao Abhiyaan had pioneered the 'save Mhadei' movement in the state.