Tourists love Goa because of the trees that abound in the state, and this echo can be heard when Julia Brew, says, “It is nice that the court of the land has stepped in to save trees that are indiscriminately cut, leaving the place exposed.”
Julia -- like many other tourists, passing through Siolim on her way to the beaches on the northernmost tips of the coastal belt -- is sad, and yet happy, after reading that the High Court of Bombay at Goa is leaving no stone unturned to get to the truth of who ordered the 35 trees to be felled in the village traversed by hundreds of tourists every day.
The Siolim candlelight protests and the subsequent High Court decision in support of the trees have brought a glimmer of hope, but the conflicting statements from Calangute MLA Michael Lobo serve as a reminder to Goans of the challenging times ahead.
'As noted by us earlier, hacking of almost 35 trees is a serious issue. Now that the PWD states it has nothing to do with the hacking of these trees, a proper investigation must be undertaken to see how these trees were felled, and who gave the authority for the felling of such trees,' reads the order of the High Court dated March 27, 2024.
That the High Court has not just taken cognisance of the issue, but is digging for the truth, has bestowed activists, who decided to approach the court, with armour to stretch the net to save trees from being cut indiscriminately across Goa.
“To start with, the court is clearly demarcating the line, wherein elected representatives should know that they cannot be taking their electors for granted all the time,” reasons main petitioner Aaron Fernandes.
"Our elected representatives were taking us for granted, and this is the first slap,” adds Aaron.
When the tree-felling began, many villagers from Siolim were aghast because there seemed to be order in disorder. They then started the candlelight protest that lit many minds and led to the decision to approach the High Court.
After getting a stay order, the protestors started collecting electronic evidence that led the High Court to implead Calangute MLA Michael Lobo – husband of their MLA, Delilah Lobo.
After getting a stay order, the protestors started collecting electronic evidence that led the High Court to implead Calangute MLA Michael Lobo – husband of their MLA Delilah Lobo.
During the hearing on March 27, 2024 two videos were presented to the High Court, where in one, Michael Lobo is seen stating that the contract (of felling trees) was given to the tree cutter by the Village Panchayat.
In the second video, he states that the government has taken permission to undertake road widening work.
“There have been people who were upset over the cutting of trees, but they kept quiet out of fear. That fear has now disappeared, and with the courage of the people restored, our trees that protected us for years will stand to benefit,” assumes Francisca Fernandes.
Trees have been felled in past years, and the affected could do little with government officers turning a blind eye till the completion of the destruction.
The protest by the villagers, and the response from the High Court, is an eye-opener to many.
“If the government admitted in court that it was not involved in any way, whose hands are involved in the payment to carry on the work? Obviously, the machines and the labour, involved to fell the trees, were not free,” reasons Victor Franco as he sips his lager by the riverside.
There were forest fires last year and there are no answers yet; trees have been felled in big numbers in other areas, and the perpetrators have got away before, when the villagers were not united.
For many, the candlelight protest by Siolcars could well be the light that trees in Goa are looking out for.
