From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
 
Panaji, May 16: The crucial report on buffer zones around Goa’s wildlife sanctuaries which will decide the fate of half of state’s mining leases will be submitted to the state government on May 31, officials said today.
 
Six different committees have been formed to work on the buffer zone for all the six wildlife sanctuaries – including a national park. The committee which was supposed to submit their report on May 12 has now asked for extension in the time till May 31.
 
“The report will be submitted by May 31. They may present it before the deadline too,” a senior forest department officer stated.

The committees comprising of forest officers, local representatives and environmentalists were formed after state rejected union government’s suggestion to have 10 kms as a common buffer zone for all the wildlife sanctuaries.
 
Having such a wide buffer zone was not feasible for the smaller state like Goa, it was opined by the forest department.
 
The committees which were formed was given a task to determine the buffer zones that would be site specific depending on the eco sensitivity of the place.
 
Sources in the department stated that the committees are likely to recommend 3-5 kms as a buffer zone around sanctuaries, which will spell doom for the 44 out of 90 working mining leases in the state.
 
Officials said that the mines will have to shut down their operations respecting the buffer zone, which is sacrosanct as per the environmental laws.
 
The mines around the wildlife sanctuaries were saved during the last report on the buffer zone. In 2007, a committee headed by a bureaucrat Rajiv Yaduvanshi had recommended "zero buffer zone", triggering protests from the environmentalists.