the goan I network
PANAJI
Locals from the villages surrounding the Mopa plateau have raised their voice against what they have said is the indiscriminate felling of trees which is being done without following any norms and even as cases challenging the acquisition and others are still pending before various courts.
Speaking to the media in Panaji a section of the villagers have questioned not only the legitimacy of the actions of officials of the GMR Goa International Airport Ltd but also the timing which they say has come just when the cashew crop is ripening potentially wiping out a whole year’s income.
“We are families living in and around the plateau. Our only source of income is that of the cashew business. What we earn in the three months of the cashew crop has to help us survive for the entire year. This year, just as the crop is ripening they have begun hacking off the trees,” Shyamsundar Mayenkar a farmer from the area told reporters.
Others questioned why the officials were refusing to act against the felling. “They claim that they have permissions to fell 21,700 trees. But the trees have not been marked nor have they been numbered nor is there any other method to record the exact number of trees that are being felled.
“The heavy machines were used to uproot big trees, none of which are counted or enumerated as required under the law, and the entire forest produce was being robbed at night, thus destroying the evidence,” Swapresh Sherlekar told the media.
They said that the trees were being cut and the timber sold to third parties at the convenience of the staff of GMR who are making a hefty underhand profit.
“Enraged villagers along with concerned citizens of Goa went to the site this morning and confirmed our worst fears “ trees without any numbers were being indiscriminately felled, and that 1-2 lakh trees (despite them having permission for only 21,700 trees) on the plateau are going to be clear felled in the biggest loss to nature and environment, with scant regard for the Preservation of Trees Act and the law in force,” Sherlekar added.
They claimed that they called several officials of the forest department but to no avail. “We called the DCF (North) who has consistently refused to answer calls since the felling has started and the Range Forest Officer, Pernem refused to even come to the site, despite knowing that indiscriminate felling and theft of trees was taking place. The Police Inspector of Pernem also refused to act claiming to be powerless, leaving nowhere for us to turn,” another villager Sudan Kambli said.
