GUIRIM: Environmentalists and social activists have condemned the cutting of trees along the National Highway 17 at Guirim to facilitate its widening.
On learning that trees were felled at Guirim, members of the Goa Green Brigade and other activists gathered at the spot on Saturday afternoon to prevent further felling of trees.
Talking to reporters, the activists condemned the felling of trees as “indiscriminate, reckless and unnecessary.”
Goa Green Brigade Coordinator Avertino Miranda told Herald that, “The butchering of these trees that provide shade and green cover on the National Highway, is illegal and uncalled for.”
“When we questioned the contractors whether he had the permission to cut the trees, he said that he had none,” Miranda said and claimed that earlier this week, several coconut trees were cut overnight in a clandestine manner and its wood was quickly removed “to cover-up the crime.”
Exposing the “hypocrisy” of Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai, some of the activists said that when they (Khaunte and Sardessai) were in the opposition, they protested against the cutting of trees along this stretch, but after becoming cabinet ministers, they have forgotten their promise to protect these trees.
Rashmi Pinto, a Porvorim local, said that she felt sad that several were trees cut along the highway.
“The cutting of the trees is very brutal. Everyone comes to Goa for its greenery and beauty. There was an excavator pushing the trees down on Saturday which was really sad; ten trees were uprooted,” an anguished Rashmi said.
When contacted, the Porvorim police said that the contractor had the order to cut the trees from Karaswada till Bambolim over a stretch of 17.282 kms. The permission was issued by forest officer Vilas Gawas.
