Environmentalists and social activists from the State on Monday organised ‘Save Coconut Tree Chipko’ protest movement to save the 200-odd coconut trees along the two-kilometre stretch of highway between Guirim and Porvorim.
MAPUSA
The coconut trees on either side of the road are proposed to be axed for widening of the national highway from Patradevi to Polem.
Environmentalists and social activists came together to organise the protest on the occasion of International Bio-Diversity Day. The ‘Chipko Movement’ was led by environmentalist Prajal Sakhardande. Manoj Parab, Prasad Pankar, Kapil Korgaonkar, Suraj Naik, Swapnesh Shelkar, and Micheal Fernandes were also present.
The protesters shouted slogans against the government, accusing it of being involved in a conspiracy to chop down all the coconut trees not only from along the NH17, but in the entire State.
Speaking to reporters, Sakhardande said the coconut trees on either side of the NH17 are not posing any hurdle to traffic and there is no need to widen the road. “What the government will achieve by chopping down 200 coconut trees? Road can be widened without touching the coconut trees,” he said.
“We had started this movement to save coconut trees on January 11, 2016, and on the occasion of International Bio-Diversity day, we have resumed our protest. We won’t allow the government to chop down the coconut trees along the NH17 and all over the State,” said Sakhardande.
Kapil Korgaonkar said the government has failed to plant saplings at the places where the coconut trees were felled. “The coconut trees along the road at Parra were chopped down after assuring to plant new saplings at the same place, but the same has not yet been fulfilled by the government. In future, we won’t allow the government to touch the coconut trees,” he warned.
Manoj Parab said the ‘Chipko Movement’ won’t stop until the government takes back the decision of chopping down the coconut trees. “The protest will continue at the same spot on Tuesday evening,” informed Parab and appealed to the people to take part in the Chipko movement.
