The Forest department rushed to the site after complaints from the Parish priest Episcopal Vicar, South Goa Fr Lucio Dias and parishioners.
Forest department attached JCB machinery and booked offences under section 9 of the Preservation of Trees Act against plot owner Rohan Nadkarni and owner of the JCB machine Syed Mustak Kadar. Both of them were later released on a bail bond.
Range Forest Officer Margao Siddesh Gawde said Forest department attached the JCB for felling eight trees and also found 11 logs besides 3.5 meter fire wood.
Fr Dias said that he got a call from the parishioners about felling of trees in the church property meters away from the church building. “It appears that the JCB was intentionally deployed to encroach into the church property. The owner has promised to rectify but that question does not arise. We are trying to save the environment and the beautiful trees and here is a case when they have cut so many trees,” said Fr Dias.
Activist Roque Fernandes along with Fr Dias and others present demanded that the police and Forest department initiate action against the violators. Fernandes added he was shocked at the incident and called upon the authorities to be more vigilant.
