The stay order on tree felling for road widening in Siolim has once again proven that courts are the only hope to save nature. The reckless nature in which the work of road widenin was undertaken has been struck down by the High Court after three citizens from Siolim appealed against the work.
The road widening in Siolim, which began on March 3rd, unfortunately involved the felling of trees that had stood for 50 to 100 years. In response to this, the community voiced their concerns, staging peaceful protests in Siolim and approached High Court. Subsequently, the High Court issued a stay order on further tree felling. Regrettably, 30 of these venerable trees had already been uprooted till then.
Celebrating the High Court’s stay order in Goa, petitioners have appealed the public to actively engage in similar causes and advocate for environmental preservation. Concurrently, environmentalists and conservationists criticized the Forest Department for its failure in protecting these trees.
The petitioners and environmentalists argue that there was no necessity to cut down the trees, as the spaces they occupied were utilized for parking vehicles. However, local MLA Michael Lobo refrained from commenting when asked about his stance regarding the High Court order. According to residents of Siolim, over 120 large and old trees were targeted for felling by the contractor. The Regional Forest Department registered offence against the contractor Rafiq Munna on March 11th, but the High Court has sought clarification on who is backing the contractor. The next hearing on this issue is set for March 26th.
