Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, while reacting to the High Court staying the felling of trees at Siolim on Thursday has claimed that only four old mango trees were felled for the expansion of road at Siolim. Well, if what Lobo has said is true then how come a FIR was filed (as per some local media reports) against one contractor on March 11 by the Range Forest Officer (RFO) of Panjim range for illegally cutting 35 trees along the road side from Siolim HP petrol pump to SFX High School at Siolim, Bardez and for violating Section 8 of Preservation of Trees Act, 1984?
Secondly, Lobo has claimed that only a few people, mostly outsiders and environmentalists are protesting against the felling of trees at Siolim. Now is Lobo a resident of Siolim? Then why is he calling the people who are protesting against tree felling as outsiders? I think that the reason why Lobo was issuing these statements is because he wants the locals from Siolim to stay mum and allow him to fulfil his dream of turning their village too into a concrete jungle on the lines of Calangute.
