PANJIM: Widespread tree felling is noticed all over Goa. People have been continuously protesting this destruction of natural tree cover, especially of age old trees. In this edition of Street Voices, we asked people ‘Are the authorities giving tree felling permissions easily, without concern for the environment?’
There is large scale slaughtering of trees in the name of development. Even 500 year old trees are being cut in the name of development. The government and the forest department is not much bothered about the environment, they just allow cutting of trees. This is all being done to benefit the builders’ lobby.
With regard to hill and tree cutting, every authority denies that they have given permission, in so many illegal properties. Does that mean that the builders are simply doing hill cutting without permissions. That means they have connived with you all.
When a common man goes to the Forest Department to cut dangerous trees which are leaning over his house, they put thousands of restrictions. But the same department without any reason allows cutting of hundreds of trees. I want to ask the Forest Department why are you distributing tree cutting licences like Prasad? For whose benefit are you granting them? Why are you destroying our forests?