MAPUSA
The cutting of massive branches in the name of trimming trees in the Mapusa municipal market has stunned locals and has raised questions about the civic body’s decision-making ability.
For ages, these rain trees stood in a row in front of the municipal market providing welcome shade to bystanders and those visiting the market in Mapusa.
Electrical saws were seen working overtime bringing down huge branches of at least five to six trees in the vicinity.
The unpleasant chop was so bad that the entire canopy of foliage has been done away with and only the stems of the trees are now visible to the naked eye.
The tree-cutting appears to be a clear violation of the trimming permission granted by the Deputy Collector, who is also the tree authority.
Councillor of Mapusa Municipal Council, Shashank Narvekar labelled the tree cutting as a “rank bad job” done showing the civic body in poor light.
“There are other areas in Mapusa with more dangerous trees which are yet to be cut. The deputy collector is aware of the list of dangerous trees in other areas that have to be cut but does nothing about it. We have got our priorities completely wrong,” Narvekar said.
According to Sandip Falari, former chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council, the trees were causing no big danger to the shop owners and there was no real threat to electrical wires as most power lines in the market have gone underground.
“The civic body has overreacted in this case. A little trimming was fine. But cutting down so much was uncalled for. It could have been avoided. The beauty of the place is gone and the whole area looks so arid,” Falari lamented.
Several councillors from the ruling group also slammed the decision of cutting the trees in the market.
Mapusa Municipal Council Chairperson Priya Mishal informed that the civic body had permission to trim the trees.
“We had permission to trim the trees. But looks like the chop was a wee bit too much,” Mishal said, sounding apologetic.
