Coconut palm gets back its tree status

the goan I network
PANAJI
The Goa Legislative Assembly on Monday passed the Goa Preservation of Trees (Amendment) Bill, 2017 bringing the coconut palm once again into the definition of a ‘tree' as well as offering the State government a provision to declare any tree a State tree.
The amendment was passed after a brief discussion with the Opposition taunting the ruling members over having had to make an about turn on the issue after they had declassified the coconut tree as a tree, on grounds that securing permissions to cut it was a painful process.
Speaking during the discussion on the bill, former chief minister Digambar Kamat said that ‘better sense has prevailed.'
"When you brought the amendments last time round, we had told you that what you are doing is not right. We had even paid a visit to Ambdai village where the beer factory was to come up. I'm glad that better sense has prevailed," Kamat has said.
Poriem MLA Pratapsingh Rane, questioned whether the agriculture officer, as mandated in the act will actually end up quickly processing permissions for felling of coconut trees especially if the tree is not old or a danger to life or property.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the Act now ensures that an agriculture officer is the competent authority to grant permission for felling a coconut tree, as against a forest officer, who did the honours earlier.
"An agriculture officer will now decide whether a coconut tree can be cut. The Forest officer is not a right officer to assist this. It has to be assessed by an agriculture officer," Parrikar said adding that the Act also covers trees that pose danger to life and property.
Several other members most particularly Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenço raised the issue of ‘Matti' or Terminalia Elliptica which he said is the existing State tree.
"Are you going to dethrone this tree to bring the coconut tree," Lourenço asked.
In response, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the Matti tree is designated a state tree through an executive order without there being provision in the Act to designate any tree as a state tree.
"That tree is not declared as State tree under this Act. It is through executive order. This Bill for the first time offers a provision to declare a state tree. We can later decide which tree is to be made the state tree," Parrikar said.
The amendment which was passed unanimously will redefine a ‘tree' to once again include the coconut palm as a tree as well as including a section providing for the declaration of a State tree. Other new clauses offers provisions for farmers to remove old or dangerous coconut trees by applying through an agriculture officer as provisions for commercial coconut plantations.