Team Herald
MAPUSA: The residents of Assagao are concerned at the manner in which the Forest Department, “without any application of mind” is issuing “blanket permissions” to cut trees in Goa leading to destruction of environment and biodiversity.
Assagao Comunidade Attorney Nelson Fernandes said that mass and systematic destruction of trees was being carried out in Assagao.
“We are working to stopping it as our beautiful village of Assagao. All the forest cover is being depleted by greedy land sharks and builders. Planting saplings is going to help; we need to conserve the trees that are there for the last many decades. We have to conserve our forests for a better climate and better life in the village,” Fernandes said.
Another resident, Orelando Braganza said that he came to Assagao as a child; he is depressed at seeing the destruction of trees in the village.
“I came to this village as a child and what it has become today has really depressed me indescribably. It is time the forest department wakes up, because the villagers are not going to take this anymore. Every tree left in Assagao is so valuable to us that we cannot afford to lose even a single tree now. I appeal to the forest department to please take cognizance of the destruction as the residents of Assagao are not going to take this lying down,” Braganza said.
Goa Green Brigade Coordinator Avertino Miranda told Herald that they have requested the forest department to take steps on war-footing to uphold the law and the Supreme Court directive by stopping further cutting of trees.
“Considering the fact that once pristine Goa is fast losing its green cover and global warming becoming a serious concern worldwide and the recent Supreme Court judgement that not a single tree should be cut in Goa, we at Goa Green Brigade are concerned at the manner in which the Forest Department is issuing blanket permissions to cut trees in Goa without any application of mind to save the environment and its biodiversity,” Miranda pointed out.
“First of all the village of Assagao in Bardez taluka is one of the rich biodiversity hotspots of Goa where trees allow the birds, insects, reptiles, butterflies and other microorganisms to thrive and any attempt to destroy this green cover will cause serious irreparable damage and therefore,” he added.
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Inspection held of private forest
The inspection of a private forest area at Assagao was carried out by the Goa Forest Department in regards to the “rampant destruction” of forest following the complaint filed by Goa Green Brigade on Thursday evening. Those interested in saving Assagao’s forest areas and its rich biodiversity were present to witness the inspection near the cross at Bairo Alto, Assagao. On Thursday, the inspection started at 4.30 pm wherein the forest officials conducted the panchanama of the forest trees felled in Assagao along with Goa Green Brigade over a period of two hours. The panchanama report confirmed the clearance of 1,500 sq mts area of trees with the help of machinery. However no stump was found at the site. During the panchanama, the forest official approached one of the owners of the said property who confirmed that he has cleared the land by cutting and uprooting the trees with the help of migrant labourers.
