AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
KONIR, SALVADOR DO MUNDO: In a determined show of resistance, villagers from Pomburpa and Salvador do Mundo climbed a steep 1.5-kilometre hill on Sunday morning to reach Survey No. 29 in Pomburpa village, protesting alleged attempts by a building lobby to destroy a notified Private Forest by setting it on fire.
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The land, measuring approximately 35,000 square metres, was officially notified as Private Forest in the Official Gazette (Series II No. 25) dated September 22, 2022. Armed with documents and determination, villagers gathered at the site and remained there until afternoon, saying their protest marked only the beginning of a wider struggle to protect the remaining forest cover.
Protesters expressed anger not only over the alleged destruction of green cover by the new landowner but also over what they described as the “lackadaisical attitude” of their MLA, government authorities, and the Forest Department in “allowing a Private Forest to be set on fire.”
“First,” said an infuriated Devendra Narvekar from Pomburpa, “the panchayat needs to explain how they granted permission to fence the Private Forest. That fencing must be removed. If they fail to act, the people will do it themselves—we are prepared to go to jail if necessary.”
Alvito D’Silva, chairman of the Biodiversity Management Committee of Pomburpa and Olaulim, alleged inaction by authorities after the recent fire incident. “When fire officials inspected the site after parts of the Private Forest burned on Friday, April 24, 2026, we were told that an FIR could be registered only after trees were cut, not when they are burned,” he said.
Locals stressed the ecological importance of the area, noting that waters from the Pomburpa spring flow through Survey No. 29. They warned that any development on the land could threaten the existence of the spring itself.
D’Silva also questioned the nature of the fire. “I do not believe Friday’s fire was accidental. Around the same time last year, a fire was set, and later a bulldozer was seen uprooting burnt trees. After we complained, the Forest Department seized the bulldozer for about three months before releasing it,” he claimed.
For local resident Dinesh Dias, the reported remarks of Range Forest Officer Mangaldas Devsekar were deeply concerning. “Is the RFO suggesting that it is not a crime to burn trees, but only a crime once they are cut? That is unacceptable,” he said.
Attempts to contact RFO Mangaldas Devsekar to verify the statements attributed to him were unsuccessful.
Residents suspect that the alleged modus operandi involves gradually reducing tree cover to later argue that the land no longer qualifies as Private Forest. They also pointed to the classification of the area as a “No Development Slope” rather than a “No Development Zone,” saying the distinction has serious regulatory implications.
The protest itself reflected urgency and unity. Villagers navigated a narrow, pebble-strewn path through dense vegetation to reach the hilltop, where berry-laden trees lined the route and children plucked fruit even as slogans echoed through the forest.
“The plan is to destroy the tree cover and then approach the Supreme Court claiming there is no forest left. Meanwhile, the government remains silent and construction begins,” alleged Alex Noronha, who travelled from Anjuna to join the protest.
“They are setting trees on fire today. Tomorrow, they may target people—but we will not let that happen,” he added.
Calling the forest one of the last remaining stretches along the Western Ghats, Joni D’Silva highlighted its ecological richness. “This forest hosts tree species rarely seen elsewhere, along with diverse bird and animal life. This is a fight we will not back down from,” she said.
For 72-year-old Xec Abass, who came from Porvorim, the gathering symbolised a larger call to action. “We have come together to show that Goa must unite to protect what little remains of its natural heritage. We stand ready to confront those who seek to destroy our land,” he said.
