Goa sorry about death of four tigers: CM

Panaji, Feb 10 (IANS) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said the government was "sorry" about the death of four tigers in the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary last month, but dodged questions about whether the sanctuary located in the lower reaches of the Western Ghats would be upgraded to a tiger reserve.

"We are taking care of tigers in every way possible. We are sorry about the incident which happened. We may have made a mistake. We are taking almost all precautions for that now," Sawant said.

To a question about whether the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary, where four tigers were poisoned to death last month, would be upgraded to a Tiger Reserve, Sawant did not choose to give a categorical response.

Four tribals were arrested in January for allegedly poisoning four tigers to death, after the predators preyed on two heads of cattle in December last year.

Environmentalists in the state have repeatedly urged the Goa government to upgrade the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in North Goa to a Tiger Reserve to protect and preserve tigers in the area.