Team Herald
PANJIM: The Legislative Assembly on Thursday evening passed the much-debated Goa Preservation of Trees (amendment) Bill 2016, which reclassifies the coconut plant as a palm, even as the opposition – Congress and three Independent MLAs – walked out of the House.
Alleging that the opposition is trying to politicise the issue, Environment and Forests Minister Rajendra Arlekar said it is not the government classifying the coconut as a ‘palm’ but this is the view of botanists.
The amendment bill was passed after an hour-long debate on the issue, during which the opposition benches termed the government’s move as dangerous to the existence of coconut trees, while the treasury benches alleged that ahead of the 2017 elections their opponents are trying to create an anti-government wave.
Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai threatened to hold a mass protest against the move by mobilising people, while another independent legislator Rohan Khaunte said the move was to give permission to Vani Agro, which is slated to fell nearly 470-odd coconut trees to facilitate its alcohol plant at Sanguem.
The House witnessed a ruckus and uproar with the ruling and opposition members countering arguments and targeting each other on the controversial statements made.
Defending the decision, Arlekar told the House that the government is committed towards protection of the coconut tree and coconuts. “The new amendments to the bills are introduced to provide more protection to the coconut tree. We never said it is a palm, we have quoted botanists saying it,” he said.
“The amendments are done to benefit the common person. It will simply speed up the permission for cutting or felling of tree. While omitting coconut from Section 1-A, we have brought it under purview of Section 12A (permission for felling of trees). This is afforestation and not deforestation,” the minister said adding that some members are trying to politicise the issue.
Earlier, Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco introduced amendments to the proposed Bill, demanding that the omitted Section 1-A be re-included. However, the amendment was not accepted by the House. The opposition, including MLA Mauvin Godinho demanded that the Bill be referred to a select committee and passed only after taking public views.
Speaking on the amendments, former Chief Minister and Congress MLA Digambar Kamat said the coconut was brought under the Tree Preservation Act in 2008, after realising that the State has to import coconut from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. “Powers were given to deputy collector to inspect and decide on granting permission for felling of coconut tree,” he said demanding that the Bill be reconsidered looking at public sentiments.
Khaunte, while opposing the bill demanded that the coconut plant be granted special status for preserving and protecting. Alleging that the move is aimed towards deforestation, he pointed out that there are several other laws in place which can be considered for granting protection to coconut.
“This is a move to facilitate mass massacre of coconut trees in the State. The people of Goa will not tolerate it,” Sardesai said questioning the need for speeding up the destruction (permission for felling) of the coconut.
“Goa will be left with no identity if coconut trees are cut,” he said and sought to know whether MLAs or public or agricultural experts and farmers were consulted by the government before this amendment was brought. Sardesai also demanded an opinion poll on reclassifying the coconut tree as a palm. “On 16 (January), it is Opinion Poll Day, let us have an opinion poll on whether people want this to be a tree or palm,” he said.
Members from ruling benches – Siddharth Kunkolienkar, Nilesh Cabral and Subhash Phal Desai supported the bill. The bill seeks to increase the fees for tree feeling or compounding offences from the existing Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000.
