Panaji, Aug 31 - The central government is not in favour of Goa's recommendation to reduce the buffer zones around the sanctuaries in the state, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said here.

The central government will not be 'sympathetic to any move by the state government to reduce buffer zones in the state's wildlife sanctuaries to zero kilometres', Ramesh told IANS Sunday.

'While a uniform 10-km buffer zone may not be applicable, a zero buffer zone will not be accepted as far as I am the minister for environment and forests,' said Ramesh, who was in Goa to attend a public consultative session on the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) with people living in coastal areas.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who had earlier endorsed the report that recommends reduction of buffer zones in three wildlife sanctuaries namely Bhagwan Mahaveer, Netravali and Mhadei to zero metres, was also present on the occasion.

All the three sanctuaries fringe the mining belt and green activists claim that the report prepared by the state government and submitted to the Central Wildlife Board is only aimed at making way for mining companies to further expand their operations right up to the edge of the sanctuaries.