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THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA: Stating that the number of Acacia and Nilgiri trees has gone up in forest areas, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday informed the House that the forest department has been directed to conduct an impact assessment report of these trees which absorb more water and were of no use.
“It is observed that these trees have increased tremendously in forest areas. We have directed the forest department to cut the trees and instead plant fruit bearing trees in its place,” said Sawant, while responding to Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar
The chief minister said that acacia trees consume a lot of water and therefore the department has been directed to conduct an impact assessment report of these trees.
Sanguem MLA Prasad Goankar informed the House that some years back government had taken a decision to remove these Acacia and Nilgiri trees which were non-remunerative.
“First of all, these trees are of no use and further no plantation can take place below these trees,” Gaonkar said.
In a written reply, the CM informed that around 5,464 Ha of area came under the cultivation of these Acacia and Nilgiri trees.
Sawant further said the forest department was planning to replace these species by suitable local species by making appropriate provisions in the working plan.
“In communidade land, the trees are removed after attaining maturity,” he said.
He said these trees don’t provide any fodder to animals in the forest and the animals from the wild then make their way to the farmlands and destroy the crops.
“At least if we plant fruit bearing trees it will be beneficial to animals in the forest,” the CM said.
Congress MLA Pratapsing Rane said these types of trees were not planted in forest land but at mining dumps.
“Acacia trees are planted only on mining dumps or mining reject areas. Somebody has given you wrong information,” Rane said.
The CM agreed that the trees were initially planted on the mining dumps but its seeds were blown with the wind and now grew on forest land.
