Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

Goa Forest Minister to Declare Vagheri Hill as Eco-Sensitive Zone

May 25, 2022
Vagheri Hill

Goa forest minister, Vishwajeet Rane said that Vagheri Hill will be declared an eco-sensitive area for its conservation, reported The Indian Express.

Rane shared comparison pictures of Google imagery to bring to light the depleting forest cover of the hills. He also said that he would instruct his department to keep monitoring the area with the help of satellite imagery every 15 days. The Vagheri Hill is located near the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.

The mountain peaks are clearly visible in the photos Rane shared, and the green coverage diminishes over time.

Rane in his tweet with the pictures said, “We can see that the hill at Vagheri has been cleared from the top, but no report has been filed. This is done by a few landowners who have sold their property to outsiders. The whole point is to show the people how the canopy has been removed. This was brought to my attention using the satellite and #Google imagery. I will instruct the department to adopt this technique to monitor eco-sensitive areas every 15 days.”

Rane further said that an investigation would be launched into how the forest on the top of the hill was destroyed in such an orderly fashion. He also held a meeting with Forest Department officials on converting Vagheri Hill into an environmentally sensitive area.

He added that the Historical Image Toolbar can also detect satellite images from the 1980s. He wants to use satellite imagery and other similar technologies to monitor the forest.