CORTALIM
The road widening works of NH 17-A between Cortalim junction and Chicalim, seems to have hit a roadblock, with the forest department stalling the permission to allow felling of trees falling within the road-widening area of the highway.
According to a PWD official, the file for processing the permission to fell the trees had been submitted months ago to the forest department (south division), which was forwarded to the government.
However, South Goa Deputy Conservator of Forests Anil Shetgaokar said the PWD (national highways) department woke up late to process the file for felling of trees.
“The PWD contractor felled a number of trees without obtaining necessary permission from this office, despite very well knowing the rules. We have registered a case against the contractor and both the case file as well as the file (for obtaining the permission) had been forwarded to the government,” informed Shetgaokar, adding that his superiors would take the call in the matter.
The PWD official, however, denied felling trees. “We only dumped mud over the mangroves for road widening, which would anyway be done. But no trees have been cut,” the official said tersely.
There are a number of trees along the road-widening area, which is being undertaken under the aegis of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and some are clinging on the edges of the elevated portion, posing a threat of uprooting especially with the monsoons around the corner.
