MARGAO: Goa for Giving (GFG) and Heritage Action Group (HAG) on Sunday organised ‘Coconut Love, Coconut Valentine’, a unique rally where people showed their love for the coconut tree and voiced their opinion on the recent amendment passed against coconut trees in Goa.
The rally began at 10 am with the Chipko movement in Nuvem. The protesters sang songs, and a street play was performed by the youth wing of the Movement for Special Status for Goa. Some protesters carried heart-shaped placards with messages of love for the coconut tree, while Nuvem locals spoke about the problems they faced because of the amendment.
The protesters also criticised the government’s recent statements on classifying monkeys, peacocks and bison as ‘vermin’. They shouted slogans against the government and questioned who it was working for as its decisions were against the people’s wishes and aimed at destroying the environment.
The protesters also demanded that the Central government fulfill its promise of granting special status to Goa.
The rally was followed by a get-together in Utorda, where the protesters went about hugging coconut trees. Coconut crafts were also displayed by Vijaydatta Lotlikar, who holds a Limca record for creating the tallest coconut shell-crafter oil lamp. People also brought homemade coconut sweets like dos and dodol.
Those present for the really included: GFG chairman Armando Gonsalves, historian Prajal Sakhardande, artist Harshada Kerkar, photographer Prasad Pankar, cartoonist Alexyz, former Dramapur sarpanch Dominic Noronha, activist Judith Almeida, Vijaydatta Lotlikar, Bevinda Colaco of Target Goa, Youth leaders Kapil Korgaonkar and Siddesh Bhagat, and members of United Goans Foundation and Colva Civic and Consumer Forum.
It may be recalled that the Chipko movement was recently held in North Goa during the Assembly session to protest the passing of the bill in that session.
