-- Samir Umarye
BICHOLIM OCT 14: The forest department has received a complaint in connection with the illegal cutting down of the trees located at the proposed mining site at Vathadev Bicholim. It may be stated that a mining company has been given the sanction to start mining activities at Vathadev inspite of opposition from the locals. As of now several morchas, demonstrations have been carried out by the villagers in protest against the same. The panchayat through a special meeting had strongly disapproved any plans to start mining activities which would harm the Bicholim river. The said land has now been given on lease by the owners for a period of 20 years and as per the sources the near by company (Cosme pharma) is likely to be shifted to Maulinguem. To add to this the recent controversy is that some people have started cutting down some of the huge trees including the cashew trees from the hillock. It is learnt that the company has allowed the people to cut down the trees and make some extra money. So, the people have started cutting down the trees without taking the forest department into consideration.
