The Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (GSIDC) is under fire for its failure to replant trees felled during the four-laning of the Ribandar bypass on National Highway 17. This comes amidst growing concerns raised by environmental advocates and the ongoing proceedings of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Bombay High Court at Goa.
According to recent submissions by advocate Norma Alvares, GSIDC has not met its replanting obligations despite felling 870 trees. Alvares, presenting evidence to the court, highlighted that GSIDC had not replanted the 14,610 trees as mandated under the 2017 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the transport ministry. The MoU, executed on October 13, 2017, had outlined the responsibilities for tree plantation, beautification, and landscaping across five key stretches of national highways in Goa. The transport ministry had sanctioned Rs 64.4 crore for this initiative, which was intended to ensure the replanting and maintenance of trees over a five-year period, with a survival target of 90 per cent. However, GSIDC officials claimed that no funds had been received from the transport ministry as per the MoU, an assertion that has sparked significant concern about the state of environmental compliance in infrastructure projects.
The high court is currently addressing a PIL concerning the felling of heritage trees at Siolim. Alvares has proposed measures to safeguard roadside trees, suggesting that heritage trees should not be felled but merely pruned under the supervision of forest department officials. She has also recommended the creation of a Green Cell within the Public Works Department (PWD) to manage and oversee tree preservation efforts.
The advocate general argued that the recommendations were overly broad and potentially impractical. The court has instructed government authorities to present feasible suggestions for the next hearing. The lack of replanting and the broader implications for environmental conservation and infrastructure development are expected to be key issues in the ongoing legal and administrative discussions.
