TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CALANGUTE: Is the government insensitive to the nature while undertaking development in Calangute?
While nature lovers have complained that authorities are unnecessarily felling trees in order to widen roads and to lay footpaths, the local MLA insists that development cannot be compromised for the sake of trees, but assured that new trees would be grown to replace the felled trees.
In recent times, authorities have felled a number of trees along the roads leading in and out of Calangute.
Large trees along the CHOGM road from St Alex Church (Calangute) to Saligao have been cut, while many trees along the road from St Alex Church (Calangute) to Arpora-Nagoa are expected to be felled in the next few days on account of road-widening works.
“The trees were planted by our forefathers and have grown this far after many years. Cutting them now is nothing but cruelty. The government could easily have saved them by working out an alternative development plan. But they will not do it as the government is very insensitive to trees and nature at large,” complained a nature lover from Calangute.
“Hundreds of trees have been mercilessly chopped in the name of development or widening of roads. Destruction of a tree is not planned development but a haphazard development at the cost of nature,” the nature lover added.
When contacted, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo admitted that many trees had been cut to make way for wider roads in Calangute and Arpora-Nagoa.
“But we will replace the felled trees by planting new ones. In fact, we will plant more trees than number of trees we have cut for road-widening work and other projects.”
Dismissing allegations that the State government has been insensitive to nature, Lobo replied: “One cannot say that the government is insensitive to nature, but at the same time development cannot be compromised for the sake of trees. Whatever trees have to be cut will be cut and new trees will be planted later.”
