The Goa government made headlines at the end of December when it decided that the state’s iconic coconut palm tree was not actually a tree, thus allowing felling without permission. The controversial decision was just one of many ominous decisions made about the state’s 1,000 sq-km green cover ever since former Speaker Rajendra Arlekar took charge of the state’s forest and environment ministry on October 1.

The measure of Arlekar’s resolve to protect Goa’s forests was evident during the recently concluded winter session of the Goa legislative assembly.

On December 23, Arlekar presented the amendment to the Goa, Daman and Diu Preservation of Trees Act, 1984, which dropped the tree status granted to coconut palms ostensibly to help farmers to cull old and ailing trees without going through lengthy bureaucratic procedures. The following day, he said: “We will be in trouble if the forest area increases. Where will be the land available for development?”

Eventful tenure

A former president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Goa unit, Arlekar replaced Cortalim legislator Alina Saldanha in the environment ministry. His decisions came in for criticism early into his tenure.

On October 9, eight days after Arlekar was sworn in, the government approved an ordinance to allow the construction of eco-friendly structures in ecologically sensitive areas – particularly near Goa’s five wildlife sanctuaries – through amendments in the Goa Town and Country Planning Act.

The ordinance permitting “development” was backed by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar. “The move is aimed at pushing tourism, which is currently concentrated along the beach belt, into the hinterland,” he said.

Forests in Goa fall under two categories of ownership – government and private. Until recently, development in both categories was severely restricted. Arlekar’s new forest policy sought to change this by facilitating development by private players.

“It’s enough,” Arlekar told the legislative assembly on January 15. “A 1,000 sq-km wooded area is more than enough for Goa.” He said that adding to Goa’s 33% forest cover was not in the state’s best interests.

Arlekar’s statement was openly supported by leader of opposition Pratapsing Rane.

In addition to removing the coconut palm tree from the purview of the Goa, Daman and Diu Preservation of Trees Act, 1984, the state government made another controversial amendment to the legislation that completely alters the definition of a tree.

The modified legislation defines a tree as “any woody plant whose branches spring from and are supported upon the trunk or the body, and whose trunk or body is not less than 10 centimetres in diameter at height of one metre from the ground level”.

Before the alteration, for a woody plant to qualify as a tree, the diameter had to be five centimetres and a metre from ground level.

This makes the process of felling them much easier.

Development agenda

Environmental activist Prajal Sakhardande said the government appeared to be going for Goa’s green jugular. “They are going for our trees and forest cover now, coconuts and everything. What kind of legacy will these decisions leave for Goa and Goans?” said Sakhardande, who on January 11 staged a protest along National Highway 17 near Guirim village (10-km from Panaji) against the government’s anti-environment policies.

According to Vijay Sardesai, an Opposition legislator representing Fatorda, the government’s decisions have been fuelled by real estate and corporate lobbies.

“This government has sold itself to the real estate and commercial interests, who have an eye on forested areas and are keen on developing them,” Sardesai said. As examples, he cited a couple of projects including a controversial upcoming golf course in the chief minister’s constituency of Mandrem, and a project involving the development of an entire island, Vanxim, 15-km from Panaji.

Both projects are currently awaiting permissions, including green sanctions, to develop the land tracts.

While Arlekar has said that his ministry is serious about safeguarding Goa’s environment, he added that it was important to strike a balance between environment and development.

“We have to balance revenue generation as well as keeping the environmental balance of the state,” he said.

Mayabhushan Nagvenkar is a correspondent with the Indo-Asian News Service.