PORVORIM: In a major relief and a victory for the people’s movement in Siolim, the High aCourt on Wednesday stayed in the interim, the ongoing and “merciless” fellinag of trees till March 26.
The directions were given in a PIL moved by three public-spirited people of Siolim led by a 39-year-old conservationist and wildlife rescuer Aaron Fernandes and two retired Siolkars in their sixties - Simon Rodrigues (61) and Fatima Anna Fernandes(69).
O Heraldo's continuous reportage on this issue was also mentioned in the PIL.
The Division Bench of Justices Mahesh Sonak and Valmiki SA Menezes, sensing the importance and seriousness of the matter took it for hearing within hours of “mentioning” it in court on Wednesday morning, he reportedly outlined the court's concern and immediate “interest” in the issue.
The PIL was moved after 30 trees were “mercilessly” felled as a part of the “allegedly sanctioned activity of road widening” of Major District Road No.10 in the village of Siolim from March 3, 2024 onwards.
“We (the petitioners) were anguished the scale and size of the felling. Apart from the 30 trees that have been felled, our concern is to save 120 more that will be felled on the road from Siolim to Badem (Assagao). On March 11 a first offence report was filed by the Regional Forrest Officer against the contractor, one Rafique Munna but the question is who is behind this contractor,” said Advocate Norma Alvares who argues the matter in Court. The advocate on record for the petitioners is Adv Om D’Costa.
The petitioners had feared that the ongoing rampant and reckless cutting of trees would lead to the devastation of the environment. They stated that on March 3, contractors went on a tree felling spree wherein age-old trees including huge flowering mango trees, were ruthlessly chopped from the HDFC Bank junction, Siolim up to the bus stop on the Siolim Main Road i.e., opposite the road going towards Porta Vaddo, Siolim. In three days, across this stretch, more than 30 trees had already been mercilessly felled.
The petitioners also produced photographs of some of the ancient trees felled by the contractors.
The contractors present at the site could not show relevant papers, documentation and work orders for the ongoing project, and they could only state that they had been instructed to cut the trees and proceed with their work, the petitioners stated.
The detailed hearing and arguments will commence on March 26.