PANAJI
The State Forest Department has issued an order allowing felling of 292 trees for two major tourism projects -- Unity Mall at Chimbel and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj museum at Bandora in Ponda. The trees would be axed within 30 days.
Following recommendation from the State Tree Authority (STA), the Deputy Conservator of Forest, North Goa, on September 23, issued order to fell 195 trees for the development of Museum and another 97 for Unity Mall project.
As per the order, the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) -- the project implementing agency -- has paid tree felling and security deposit of Rs 6.63 lakh towards Museum project and Rs 3.29 lakh for Unity Mall.
The Forest Department has directed the project proponent to plant 826 tall saplings to compensate for the loss of tree cover. The saplings with good endurance with minimum 8-10 feet height have to be planted towards compensatory afforestation.
For the Shivaji Museum project, the GTDC submitted that it intends to create a landmark tourist site at Farmagudi wherein the hill above the current Shivaji Statue would be put to use by creating a new bigger Statue at the top with an approach road suitable for buggies. GTDC said that it has proposed to fell bare minimum trees towards creation of a pathway leading to the top of the hill.
As far as Unity Mall is concerned, GTDC said that the project is for promotion of Skill India, Make in India, and One District One Product venture of Government of India. GTDC said that it has to create a substantial space for housing different display areas inside and outside, with multiple approaches and execution pathways and that they have made provision for underground parking.
The STA, headed by the Chief Secretary, during its meeting held in July, had recommended cutting of trees for both the projects.
