PANJIM: The High Court Bench revealed its anguish and frustration at the Siolim tree felling case where the government has been unable to inform the court, under whose behest trees have been cruelly felled in Siolim for purported road widening.
During the ongoing hearing on the rampant tree felling for road widening, against which a stay has already been granted by the High Court, Justice Valmiki Menezes mentioned in the open court “What a state of lawlessness”.
He expressed astonishment at how roads were getting broadened and trees were getting felled on their own, as if anyone can decide to do these and enter into private boundaries for this felling at will and then realign the boundaries of houses
The developments that led to this comment from the Court were as follows: In the affidavit filed by the petitioner, there were references to two videos where “in the first video Calangute MLA Michael Lobo was seen stating that the contract was given to the tree cutter by the village panchayat In the second video, Mr Lobo states, inter alia, that he Government/PWD has to take a decision to undertake road widening work” (The words of the Bench in the order).
In total contrast to the statements made in the two videos, the Court in Para 9, refers to the Advocate General’s submission to the Court “that the Public Works Department was neither widening the road, nor had anything to do with the felling of trees from the private properties” (The words of the Bench in the order).
The AG also said no steps had been taken towards any acquisition of land which would take place due to such road widening.
In between these two contrasting statements with no clarify on who was responsible for the felling of the trees, 35 trees have been felled in Siolim of which 29 were in private properties, as per the affidavit of the petitioner Aaron Victor Fernandes.
Importantly, the court has underlined that hacking of trees is a serious issue and called for thorough investigation into who ordered the tree felling.
Petitioner produces more evidence in court through fresh affidavit
PANJIM: Petitioner Aaron Victor E Fernandes and two others on Wednesday filed an additional affidavit bringing on record two videos and transcription involving Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and the Sarpanch and Panchayat Secretary of Siolim-Marna Village Panchayat, in the Siolim tree cuttings.
The petitioners has also provided information regarding the ancient trees located in private parties which were felled. They stated that a total of 29 trees were cut. Of these, 23 were mango trees, five teak trees and one jackfruit tree. The five teak trees belonged to Uttam Jagannath Mandrekar while, maximum four mango trees were cut from the private property of Vinayak Volvoikar.