Panaji, Dec 10 (TNN): The Goa government has stated that the K Kasturirangan panel findings on the Western Ghats cannot be accepted, as recommendations are unilateral.

Forest minister Alina Saldanha has written to the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF), stating that the directions issued by the ministry after accepting the panel report are contrary to ground realities.

Speaking to TOI, Saldanha said the entire village of Poinguinim in Canacona has been shown as an eco-sensitive area. "There are many stakeholders in the area and you have to consult them. One cannot take unilateral decisions, hence they cannot be accepted," she said.

She pointed out that certain parameters did not take into account the ground realities.

After the Western Ghats ecology expert panel ( WGEEP) led by ecologist Madhav Gadgil had submitted its report on conservation in the Western Ghats to MoEF, the ministry had constituted a ten-member working group led by the former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief to examine the report and makes recommendations.

MoEF had assured that whatever decisions they take would be after consulting the state government and the people, Saldanha stated. "It had assured of placing the decisions and recommendations in the public domain and that only after receiving the feedback it would come to a conclusion," she pointed out.

The Goa government had expressed strong reservations about the Kasturirangan report, but despite that, it has been forced down upon the state, she said.