Team Herald
PANJIM: After meeting the Principal Chief Conservator of forests, members of the Civil Society, on Monday, slammed the state’s bureaucrats for not resolving their doubts in regards to illegal cutting of trees in Mopa village.
Addressing the media, Swapnesh Sherlekar said “The Forest Department had given permission for cutting 21,703 trees in Mopa airport land and due to this we had filed an appeal with the conservator of forests for which we have been told that nothing is in the hands of the department and that our group should approach the NGT”.
He said “The name conservator of forests should be changed to destructor of trees in Goa. They say that it is a government project and nothing can be done. The NGT, in its earlier order, had said that if we feel that the tree cutting is illegal, any person can approach the competent authority in the state which is the Forest Department but here they are not even listening to our grievances.”
He further informed that their group will look for all the options, including approaching the NGT or for that matter all the MLAs, to stop this illegal felling of trees.
“We will go all places and explore all options to stop this illegal felling of trees. There are many wide rare varieties of plant species there which have not been brought on record and they are just recklessly cutting the trees. If not Forest Department where do we go, what are the officers in the department there for if they are not listening to the public,” he said
Meanwhile, the members of the Civil Society have said that the reckless felling trees in the name of development will affect the entire natural habitat including plants, trees and animals.
