Herald report makes activists sit up and take note of Govt's 'haphazard' planning VASCO: Following a report that appeared in Herald highlighting that 600 trees have been identified by the PWD which may be felled to widen NH17A connecting Cortalim to Vasco via Chicalim, environmentalists and green activists along with Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco on Monday held a peaceful demonstration at Cortalim junction. Replicating the famous Chipko Movement to save roadside trees that are being felled citing development, several green activists from Goa assembled at Cortalim junction and held an hour-long peaceful protest against the decision to axe the trees along NH17 road connecting Patradevi in North Goa to Pollem in South Goa and on NH17 road connecting Cortalim to Vasco via Chicalim. They said that they would not allow the government to cut trees in future and further warned the government to rethink its decision and instead prepare a plan by which trees can be saved from such onslaughts. They warned, failing which they would launch mass protest across Goa. Speaking to reporters, the green activists said, “Enough is enough, the way trees are being cut all across Goa in the guise of development, it only shows that the state government is all out to destroy the natural beauty of the state and we cannot allow this to happen. From Pernem to Cancona, trees are being felled and this axe-effect is being tagged as development! We don’t want such development. Earlier, they cut down some 10,000 trees but failed to transplant the same. Instead, we are want the development blueprint to make provision to save trees and protect the identity of Goa. The government should come clear on its intention on whether they are widening the roads for Goans or for the Adanis and Jindals to transport coal," said Manoj Parab, member of Revolutionary Goans activists Group. Prajal Sakhardande, heritage activist, said, “After reading the report on Herald that 600 trees would come under the axe-effect, it was a shocker for all of us. Six hundred is a huge number and we cannot allow this to happen. We as citizens of Goa want to inform the government that we are not against the development but not at the expense of this rampant tree and hill cutting. Sadly, such things are happening all across Goa and this desecration act is destroying natural beauty and environment,” he said and further added that, “Tourists come to Goa to see the greenery which is the identity/USP of Goa but in the last five years (and the trend is still continuing) the government is all out to destroy the identity of Goa. At this rate, Goa will become a desert. Time has come that people across Goa should come out and protest,” he told. Several other activists, including Alka Damle, Kapil Korgaonkar, Tejas Pandit and others also raised their concern over the tree feeling decision in name of development allegedly without any proper planning. MLA Alexio Regional Laurence warned the state government over cutting of trees and further appealed to the people of Goa to unite and protest against such act of destroying environment in name of development. “These projects of road widening and making bridges are actually for the Adanis and Jindals so that they can transport their coal through these thoroughfares. On the pretext of development, haphazard and shoddy planning are taking a huge toll on the environment. The government must stop all these or face people's wrath,” he added.