Goa to finalize private forest report by May 30, minister says

On April 26, 2026, Goa Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane stated that the government will finalize a factual report on private forest areas by May 30. The report is to be submitted to the National Green Tribunal, where a case on the demarcation of these protected lands is pending. Private forests refer to lands owned by individuals but treated as forests by the government. Rane emphasized the need for a proper assessment to address injustices from errors in the interim report and said the forest department has been instructed to prepare a final report that minimizes opportunities for manipulation. A committee of forest department officials has been formed to prepare the final report, replacing the interim one, and will conduct hearings by advertising the survey numbers in newspapers for lands marked as private forest. The committee is asked to examine citizen documents, follow procedures, and complete the report, noting that the demarcation issue has dragged on for years. He dismissed concerns about additions to private forest areas, stating no new survey numbers will be added; only those already identified will be reviewed for continuation as private forest or deletion, with forest officers held accountable and no ministerial interference.