Team Herald
MAPUSA: PWD Minister Ramakrishna (Sudin) Dhavlikar on Thursday assured to save the century-old six mango trees on the middle of the National Highway 17 at Colvale.
Goencho Avaaz Co-convener Captain Viriato Fernandes said that the PWD minister promised over the phone, to save the six mango trees at any cost.
“The team of Goencho Avaaz on behalf of environmentalists, villagers of Colvale and all other NGOs including Green Brigade is thankful to the minister for this kind gesture in saving the trees and agreeing to engage with Goencho Avaaz to find an alternate solution. When I spoke to the minister, he said he has been fighting to save the trees since 2002,” Fernandes said.
This has come a day after the protestors at the site embraced the Chipko movement to safeguarding the trees by camping at the site the entire day long.
M/s MVR Infra Pvt Ltd, the company, that has been awarded the contract of widening the national highway, tried to cut down the six mango trees but the Colvale villagers objected to the same.
Responding to the distress calls from villagers, a team from Goencho Avaaz rushed to the spot and along with the local villagers and other NGOs like Green Brigade, dissuaded the contractor from felling of trees.
Goencho Avaaz further contacted the PWD Minister with a request to direct M/s MVR Projects Pvt Ltd not to cut the trees till an alternate solution was found.
Simultaneously, a team from Goencho Avaaz rushed to the office of the Chief Engineer and submitted a memorandum not to cut the trees.
