Union ministry of environment and forests panel in Goa to verify encroachments, tiger presence

PANAJI: Officials of two committees of the Union ministry of environment and forests ( MoEF) arrived in Goa on Wednesday.

One committee is here to verify the presence of tigers in the state's forests and the other to verify encroachment of mining companies in mangrove areas.

MoEF director Lalit Kapoor is heading the committee verifying encroachment by mining companies in mangroves. The committee arrived following complaints of such encroachments and the team will visit mines to verify the claims made in the complaints.

The other committee has experts seeking to confirm the presence of tigers in the state. On April 2, 2013, almost two years after the Centre mooted a tiger reserve in Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, the state forest department captured the big cat's presence on camera for the first time in Goa.