New panel to review findings in Goa’s Private forest lands

The Government of Goa has decided to establish a 3-member committee to review the findings of earlier high-level panels which had been formed to verify the identity of private forest lands in the state.

What has happened?

• This recent move of the Goa Government comes on the heels of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order which has imposed a fine of INR 10,000 per day starting from July 2019 on the State government of Goa.
• This fine was to be paid till the date it submitted its report on the status of private forest land in Goa.
• The Goa Government on its part had issued a notification, which stated that a three-member panel that had to review the findings of the previous Karapurkar and Sawant committees.
• This committee was to submit its report within three months and had to state the exact figure of private forest land currently existing in Goa.
• However, this is the second review committee which has been formed by the Goa government.
• The NGT has earlier allowed the final extension of three months for submission of this report which is also subject to a deposit of a performance guarantee of INR 1 crore which has to be made to the satisfaction of the Central Pollution Control Board.