The deposit is refunded when the applicant gives evidence that saplings have been planted in replacement for the trees cut. The reason for increasing the security deposit is because a very negligible number of persons returned to claim the refund, an indication that there were not an adequate number of saplings planted for every tree cut. The government expects that with the increase in the deposit from Rs 200 to Rs 1000, the number of saplings planted will increase, as the loss to those who do not plant will be higher.
There were no figures released to show how many less trees the State has from previously, however, for the government to take cognisance of the matter, it would have to be considerable. This decision by the government has now assumed significance, as a report released by the Union Forest, Environment and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) Minister Prakash Javadekar, confirms that the tree cover in the State has decreased by almost 51 sq km as compared to 2017, just two years previously. The forest cover has, however, increased by 8.49 sq km in the same period. In percentage terms, that is a very negligible 0.36 per cent, as the forest cover that was 2,229 sq km in 2017, has increased to 2,237.49 sq km, which is 60.44 per cent of the State’s geographical area.
In the past few years, whenever there have questions raised on the felling of trees for development projects, the government has been able to divert the attention from the number of trees being cut, by citing the figures of the forest cover in Goa that is growing. This report of the MoEF&CC places in perspective the cost to the environment by the various projects that have been coming up in the State. There is now a figure, and a comparison of two years loss of tree coverage, by which the cost can be computed, and a decrease of over 50 sq km in tree cover is a large canopy of trees to lose in two years. Can, therefore, the increase in the deposit rate ensure that saplings will be planted?
The truth is that the tree cover is diminishing, and it appears to be happening quite rapidly too. We now know that in two years Goa lost over 50 sq km of tree cover. There is no taking away the fact that urbanisation and industrialisation will lead to a reduction of the tree cover. Goa’s villages, especially those on the coast, have been taking on an increased urban look and this in turn reduces the tree cover. The future planning of the State has to take into account the fact that the tree cover has to be maintained. What, therefore, is required is to plan development around the tree cover, or reduce the number of trees that are being cut.
To recover the lost trees, it is not enough to merely plant saplings, or get people to plant them in lieu of trees cut. A system will have to be introduced to monitor the growth of the seedlings that have been planted so as to ensure that these do not wilt due to lack of water. Until they reach a certain stage, the plants cannot grow by themselves but need to be tended. Unless this care is given, the plants will not reach maturity and will not replenish the lost tree cover. The lost trees cannot be gained by merely planting saplings. It must be ensured that these grow into trees.
