Team Herald
CALANGUTE: A banyan tree located on private property along the Candolim-Calangute road was extensively hacked early on Thursday morning, raising
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concerns among locals and environmental activists.
The property owner claimed to have received permission from the Forest Department to cut the tree. However, when contacted, the Forest D
Department officials clarified that the permission was only granted for trimming the tree’s branches, not cutting its roots or excessive pruning.
During the operation, one part of the banyan tree’s root and a majority of its branches were removed. The Calangute Constituency Forum (CCF), a local NGO dedicated to environmental protection, criticised the handling of the situation.
“The forest department personnel should have been present to supervise the trimming of the tree, but they were not,” said CCF president Premanand Divkar. He further stated that the organisation would raise the issue with the concerned authorities to ensure accountability.
Electricity department officials were present at the site to oversee the operation, as power to the area was temporarily shut down during the trimming process.
The incident has sparked questions about the enforcement of environmental regulations and the need for stricter supervision during such operations.
