PROTEST OVER LARGE-CANOPY RAIN-TREES TAKES URBAN GOA GREENERY OUT OF THE SHADE
*************************************************************************** Margao, Ponda, Porvorim, Mandrem, Quitla (Aldona), Canacona, Dona Paula... the list of areas where trees have to go is increasing. In Campal, the story was different. But is Campal, the story was different. Does this represent a real victory for the citizen? Can the citizen hope that the problem will be wished away? Or, are we going to see more of the same come up with regularity, regardless of who is in power, asks Frederick Noronha, who takes a closer look at the issue. *************************************************************************** It started as a plan to cut some 37 trees, including large-canopy rain-trees, along one of Panjim's scenic riverfront roads, between Campal and Miramar. It ended up as an embarassment for the BJP government, some unusual protests by citizens who jumped up speedily to take up the issue, and an embarrassing climb-down on the issue. In barely three weeks of hectic campaigning, largely middle-class and affluent citizens thwarted the government's action to widen this road. Not just that, the campaign sent out a cautionary-notice to governments of this small state of 3700 sq.km, which has seen a considerable loss of its green areas (despite official figures to the contrary) over the past four decades, and also hardly any increase of urban parks since colonial rule ended in 1961. But is Campal a real victory for the citizen? Can the citizen hope that the problem will get wished away? Or, are we going to see more of the same come up with regularity, regardless of who is in power? Goa's policies of having an abysmal public transport system, while allowing four-wheelers and two-wheelers to flourish, also comes in for sharp questioning. Campaigns have clearly made the point that transport problems cannot be tackled at the cost of trees left in the area. WIDER ROADS ----------- The problem is far from over. Routinely, age-old trees have been massacred to make way for wider roads, even as the number of automobiles per capita touches record levels. Places like Porvorim have seen age-old trees mercilessly hacked in recent years. On weekends, when officials are off-duty, one can see mysterious fires destroying green zones like Betim, a wooded hillock just across the Mandovi river that hugs state-capital Panjim. In the South Goa town of Margao, an alert citizen filed a suit against cutting of trees for widening around 1.5 km of the highway opposite the South Goa District and Sessions Court. Sachin Raghuvir Pai's case led to notices being filed to the Margao Municipal Council. In end-March 2002, Pai argued that the 'illegal' work of constructing a three-metre broad jogging track near the Margao stadium and constructing of retaining walls through agricultural land be ordered stopped. Agricultural land should be restored to its status quo ante, he argued. In Ponda, a central Goa town surrounded by what once was Goa's greenest belt, citizens and councillors reacted sharply by plans to bulldoze through part of the Ponda municipal garden. The exercise was aimed at extending the road and make way for a "heavy traffic flow", again in March-end. Politicians, linked to the corruption-fuelled road contractors' lobby, have allegedly been pushing plans to get more areas under money-spinning road contracts. Says Dr Claude Alvares of the environmental group Goa Foundation: "Over 850 huge and old trees along the eight-kilometer long stretch of Mandrem-Chopde road, in Pednem taluka, were felled in the last two months by contractors employed by the PWD in one of the largest slaughters of trees in Goa." Alvares said the trees "lost their lives" after the government had decided to widen the road for developing tourism in the Arambol-Keri beach and "for the purpose of the Info Park project of Ramakant Khalap". "These trees were a part of the green heritage of Pednem and they stretched all along the road soothing the tourists with their beautiful canopy and their majestic appearance as well as providing shelter during the hot summer and rain. The Foundation stated that on hearing of the large-scale felling, it got in touch with the Tree Officer, only to be told that the order to allow the mass slaughter of trees had already been issued by the Government, on an application made by the PWD," protests Alvares. Goa Foundation said that such large scale felling of trees should not be permitted anywhere in the State of Goa. It went on to accuse the PWD of "having become a major menace to Goa's greenery". It went on to charge: "If left to itself, the PWD would gladly pave the entire state of Goa with bitumen in order to keep its bloated staff of unemployed engineers at work." But maybe it's more than that. One could argue that here's a case where the interests of a bloated bureaucracy tie up neatly with those of the contractor lobby which wants more projects, and also the politico-nexus which is known to have collected commissions on work executed in the past. Industry, which also wants to exploit Goa's resources to the hilt without much concern for the natural environment, might also form another link of self-interested players in this game. As a friend remarked after this article made it to print, the NGOs -- with all their intercine politics -- have also failed to keep check in time on such problems. Likewise, in most cases, Goa's media cannot claim to be the watchdog it should have been over such issues. Comments Minguel Branganza, an agricultural officer who has been the engine behind reviving the Botanical Society of Goa: "Cutting of trees continues unabated in Goa. The newspapers are full of reports about cutting of trees in Ponda and Mandrem for road widening, in Quitla-Aldona and Canacona, mangroves are being cut for logs and firewood, in Dona Paula for building Police Quarters and almost everywhere for housing colonies and buildings." NOT A NEW ISSUE FOR GOA ----------------------- This is not a new issue for Goa. In April 1999, the Botanical Society of Goa was concerned enough to focus attention at a day-long seminar on 'urban environment: green spaces and avenues'. When the plan to chop down 26 trees along Campal-Miramar earlier came up some years ago, concerned citizens visited the Thane Municipal Corporation, near Mumbai, to find out about their scheme for transplanting trees. Thana has transplanted over 500 huge trees with 90 per cent success. This time, microbiologist and environmentalist Dr Nandkumar Kamat, one of the first to alert concern over this issue, pointed out on March 9 that hesitant PWD (Public Work Department) officials had spilled the beans on widening the road for a one-kilometre stretch from the Panjim Gymkhana to the Miramar Circle. "Trees on both sides would be cut, the footpaths and drains would be removed, and a two-lane road would be made to bring it in alignment with the new seashore road linking the Miramar Circle with the NIO circle," wrote Kamat. Kamat, who recently headed the official one-man committee to study privatisation of beach facilities at Miramar and vetoed the plan, said the "most shocking aspect is that the PWD considers the trees a nuisance and hence removable". He pointed to an early August 2000 World Wildlife Fund-Goa study of some 907 trees of Panjim. Among the most beautiful species identified in this former Portuguese colony was the rain-tree (also known as the 'Monkey Pod Tree' because its seed appear like the fingers of a monkey). Samanea saman (or Enterolobium saman) has a huge canopy, and is conserved in Hawaii, Brazil, Argentina, Thailand and Philippines. Some 22 of these majestic rain-trees were to be axed. "Some are 90 years old, like the ones near the Indoor Stadium. Many were planted in 1952, so these have completed 50 years," he commented. ~ What was unique was the manner in which protests were held on March 17, in this upper class suburb of Panjim. Politicians were assiduously kept out. National award-winners like cartoonist Padmabhushan Mario Miranda and environmental lawyer Padmashree Norma Alvares were roped in. There was an air of music and celebration, even as citizens protested peacefully. While this was appreciated by some, it caused bewilderment among others. Some of those protesting the move, like Goa University microbiology professor Dr Joe D'Souza blasted deputy chief minister Ravi Naik for being behind the move. But they were also critical of the shape the protests had taken. "To add a nail to the coffin of our woes, the call given by NGOs in support of trees turned more as a tamasha and a musical extravagnaza than a determined bid to save Goan society. Some speakers seemed to coney to the public that the trees were crying for help," argue D'Souza and local advocate Ranjit Satardakar. But the story of where these trees came from is also interesting. Kamat termed these trees planted during the Portuguese colonial period as "irreplaceable arboreal wealth". A contest at the protest site saw one of the rain trees to have a girth of above three metres! Kamat believes these trees are some of the largest and most exotic species in Asia, imported from Latin America by the Portuguese and an appropriate choice for Panjim. He also argues that Goa's state capital has lost some 30 to 40 per cent of its green cover. Besides, the government has not carried out any rain-tree plantations on an experimental basis, and neither does it have a nursery to replace the trees planned to be destroyed. Interestingly, this is not the first time a plan to cut down trees which the Campal locality is well known for have caused protests. In the late 'nineties too, protests met such plans. Journalist Cyril D'Cunha argued that the road being widened had hardly seen any traffic jams. "Is it a pocket-widening scam?" he asked, referring to the powerful contractor-politician-bureaucrat nexus setting the terms in the state. 'NO POINT CRYING HOARSE' ----------------------- Other views also came up on the subject. In one of the few write ups in the press that appeared to support the government action, local daily Gomantak Times commented editorially on March 19: "There is no point crying hoarse about greenery because there are experts who know (the) requirements of social or urban forestry, besides growing jungles meant to maintain environmental equilibrium. Protesters should also realise the magnitude of the damage a rain tree like the one situated at Caculo traffic island could do in case it gets uprooted and falls on the ground." Says Goa University political scientist and former journalist Dr Aureliano Fernandes: "The coming together of citizens is a positive development as far as social capital is concerned.... (But) in the case of Miramar a handful of people are involved in protecting their backyards. This is environmentalism disguised.... This is another case of middle-class selfishness." Dr Nandkumar Kamat also argues strongly that environmental campaigners in Goa are not always equally concerned about varied issue. He told this correspondent that in this small place, the connections of some campaigners to certain interests might be blocking more stronger actions in some cases. Captain Leo Lobo, the general secretary of the People's Movement for Civic Action (PMCA), one of the civic groups leading the campaign, asked some pointed questions. Was it 'absolutely necessary' to widen this stretch of road? Was the cause of traffic congestion studied? How would the project affect people living on either side of the road? Given the high cost of the project, were any low cost solutions explored? PMCA suggested modifications in the traffic plan, instead of going in for these trees. TREES THAT "DO NOT BLEND" ------------------------ Citizens like Patricia Pinto -- a civic campaigner whose interest saw her getting elected to the Panjim municipal council -- argues that trees along Panjim's avenues that have fallen down have been replaced "by trees that do not blend with the surroundings". For instance, rain trees have been replaced by 'badam' trees. Pinto points out that in places like the Panjim-Bambolim bypass road, avenue trees have to be cut annually along one side, as their branches touch overhead wires, making the avenue look "lopsided". She suggests scientific pruning, instead of entrusting the job to a wood-cutter. "All green spaces should be protected. Recently, citizens and environmental groups successfully opposed the move of the Panjim municipal council to encroach on the garden opposite the Govinda Building by building permanent structures to rehabilitate displaced 'gaddas'," notes Pinto. Botanical Society of Goa's Dr Hemant Y Karapurkar, a former senior government servant himself, says that without glorifying colonialism, the colonial Portuguese rulers of Goa "introduced various types of trees into Goa -- coconut, mango, ficus and mixed tree-lined avenues were a common sight." In those days, there were fewer roads and even less people, as he points out. More importantly, there were far far fewer vehicles. Karapurkar points out that a problem today is avenues of monoculture -- like Australian Acacia or Peltophorum or all gulmohar trees. Some planting of coconut palms has been done by the Forest Department in limited stretches like Guirim-Porvorim or Santa-Cruz to Pilar stretches. "Perhaps, mango, tamarind and jamun trees which are more socially acceptable will find their way into avenue planting," he adds. He also suggests Pongamia (KIaranj), neem or kodulimb as suitable for rocky and well-drained gravelly soils along plateaus. Engineer Sylvester D'Souza of Dona Paula argues that the traffic jams caused in the area are "not so much due to the width of the road as the poor traffic infrastructure planning". This area lacks designated bus stops or bus-bays. Buses park by the roadside, wherever halted by the commuter. During exhibitions and fairs held in the area, the absence of an organised parking lot adds to the chaos. "Widening the road from Campal to Miramar, by chopping off the beautiful rain trees is not going to solve the problem," says D'Souza. On March 13 from citizens to chief minister Parrikar, who happens to be the MLA for Panjim: "We believe the government's decision is ill-conceived. It may resolve the traffic problem on the Miramar road for a few years at best, but it is not a long-term solution to traffic congestion on that road, or in the rest of Panjim for that matter." It suggested some traffic discipline and other means of reducing the congestion.It pointed out that fairs on the Sports Authority of Goa grounds cause "huge inconvenience" and should be held in out-of-town areas like the Kadamba bus stand. Parrikar sought to give an assurance that the trees along Campal won't be "unnecessarily axed". But he argued there was a need to widen that road. Snubbing the outcry from environmentalists and NGOs, he said: "These are mere attempts at raising a controversy, as some groups have political interests."s On the same day, March 13, the CM said that the government had instructed the Forests Department not to cut any trees in the contentious area "till the proper road widening project was cleared". But, at the same time, he pointed to "growing accidents" on that road. Responding to the urban citizens' concerns, newspapers went into overdrive. Showing enthusiasm that is not otherwise given to most other environmental issues. In one interview, Goa met office director S.R.Bajpai quoted some experts saying rain-trees ensure lower temperature levels, and provide shade. Concrete buildings in the area would trap hot air, and saplings would take 60 to 80 years to re-grow. BACKTRACKED ----------- After the storm over the trees, the authorities backtracked. Panjim's Municipality replied on March 19: "This Council has not passed any resolution nor issued any permission for carrying out proposed widening of the road, which involves cutting of footpath and trees... This matter was taken up by the chairperson of this council with the Hon Chief Minister and it has been clarified by him that there was no proposal for cutting of trees along the road." Reacting to the unexpected citizens' storm, the Goa government said it was keeping the project "in abeyance" in view of the "concern showed against the tree cutting" by NGOs and individuals. But it argued that the road was "just" a two-lane stretch, while the adjoining stretches (including the newer Miramar-Dona Paula section) was a four-lane road. But in the meantime, the issue was raised strong enough emotions. Advertising world guru Bal B Mundkur angrily wrote to local newspaper The Navhind Times, offering a Rs 25,000 donations to 'start the ball rolling' for a Save Campal's Rain Trees Fund. Protests on March 17 included famed cartoonist Mario Miranda doing sketches, and others chipping in with poems, drama, 'balloon magic', art. Many children took part too. Finally, this storm raised concerns from a far wider circle than just the few names known for taking up environmental issues in this small state. "Panjim may need a little less traffic congestion but not at the cost of her natural beauty and ecological balance. Don't fell the trees, they have been our friends for more than 80 years. Leave that road as it is. Leave it to remain the most beautiful road in the city, please," commented Richa Narvekar of Margao. But Pareen Naik of Porvorim say it differently. Naik said "real environment lovers" should be protesting against the builders and developers "who destroy trees en mass for plot development". Naik also added that two years ago a city builder was killed during the monsoon due to the collapse of a tree. Naik also warned against tree-caused accidents. MORE DEATHS ----------- Commented British tourist Ann Talbot: "We do not keep returning to Goa year after year because of the fast roads, but just the opposite. You can never replace the trees once they have been chopped down. Mind you, the wood would come in handy for the extra coffins you would need as the faster roads would undoubtedly mean more road deaths. Please reconsider." (ENDS) -- Frederick Noronha * Freelance Journalist * Goa * India 832.409490 / 409783 GOAPIX in.photos.yahoo.com/fredericknoronha * GOANEWS www.goacom.com/news/ Writing with a difference... on what makes *the* difference =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
