Despite strong opposition from social activists and environmentalists, a historic banyan tree was ultimately uprooted on Friday night to make way for the Smart City road project. Prior to its removal, more than half of the tree’s branches had been trimmed. Following its removal, the forest department ordered the tree to be replanted in an area near the football stadium at Campal area. Despite these efforts, concerns have been raised about whether the old banyan tree will survive in its new location.
The decision to remove the banyan tree came after pressure from ‘Imagine Panaji’, citing obstruction to road work connecting Madhuban Circle to Sheetal Restaurant. Initially, objections were raised against cutting the branches of the 200-year-old tree, resulting in a temporary halt to the work. However, the tree was eventually uprooted by a JCB on Friday night. Subsequently, on Saturday morning, the tree’s trunk was transported to the Campal area for replanting with the assistance of two JCBs and a crane. Nevertheless, environmentalists have criticized the lack of advanced technology for such replanting efforts, dismissing it as wasteful.
Another tree, also impeding the Smart City project, has already been felled. Questions have been raised by protesting workers as to why the road work couldn’t have been planned in a way that preserved the tree, and why it had to be destroyed.
“It’s truly unfortunate for us. We put our lives at risk and spent thousands of rupees to provide oxygen concentrators,each of which costs 50 thousand rupees to the people in this area during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to ensure they have access to clean air. However, not only did they fail to return these concentrators to us, but despite our efforts, none of them joined us in the fight to save this very old oxygen giving banyan tree. What are we even fighting for? What are our next steps? Seeing the reckless manner in which they uprooted this tree, our hope for its survival has been shattered.”
– Mariano Ferrao ( social Activist)
“We are fighting for Mole, we are fighting for Mhadai, we are fighting against double tracking, we are fighting to save our rivers, and all these are being destroyed. What is the use of the government if citizens have to go to court every time? They are the ones who allow it and they are the ones who resist it. When will this organized crime stop? “
– Cecille Rodrigues ( Socaial Activist )
