Paithona valley turns muddy red Paul Fernandes, TNN | Aug 31, 2012, 02.40AM IST PAITHONA: A red gash in the green valley at Paithona, Salvador do Mundo, has once again woken up the greens to the government's apathy in completing the process of identifying private forests, as the pillage and destruction of pristine forest areas continues unabated.
The extensive two-acre area of a green tropical forest in Paithona's silent valley has been cleared and leveled by a private party in the last five days. It is probably the last contiguous patch of greenery extending into several hectares, sources said. The forest department inspected the area on Wednesday. The forest department booked a case against a property owner under Forest Conservation Act, 1980. "More than 50 trees have been uprooted using a JCB," a source said. "After five days of work, the JCB has left but a few traces on the site," a villager added. The JCB has been attached by the department officials. The machine-felled trees have been cleverly concealed under a huge mud embankment. "After felling, they were pruned and the defoliated timber piled up and covered with mud," the source said. The forest department discovered that over 50 trees were flattened to the ground. "The deforested area is around 8,000 sq m, excluding the path cleared of trees from the western end to move the excavator to the site," the source added. As one descends into the valley, hardly a km east off the NH-17, along the Torda road, the thick foliage of towering teak wood and other forest species, blocks the flow of light into it. The clearing has now left a gaping hole in the core of the shaded valley, abuzz with the chirping of birds. Irked by the forest department's reaction in emergency situations, environmentalists said long delay in identifying private forests is responsible for the felling. "The department's protection of forests is not preventive. It is like rushing there with water after forests are destroyed by fire," Sandeep Azrencar of Nisarga nature club, a NGO said. The area in Paithona has been inspected by panels on private forests several times in the past, Azrencar said. The valley, including the cleared area under survey number 135/14 and 135/15, stretches several hectares. "The department has been informed about the patch for inclusion in private forests," Azrencar added. Greens are keen that the government expedite the work of appointing a committee to complete the task. "They (the green patches in Porvorim) are very important lungs of the whole suburb and should be protected," Sujeet Dongre, programme coordinator of centre for environment education, a NGO said.
