Margao: Environment lovers expressed strong displeasure over the felling of a large number of trees for the widening of the road from Curchorem to Cacora.They pointed out that, for the road-widening project, which is now under way from Tilamol to Curchorem, a large number of trees were felled in 2016. When activists raised an alarm, it was assured that saplings, three times the number of trees felled, would be replanted along the corridor. “10 years later, the road-widening exercise has just begun, that too in stretches. We have no idea whether any sapling has been replanted as per the conditions,” a resident said.Sanjay Dessai, a regular commuter on the route, said that in 2016, all trees from Tilamol to Kakumoddi were felled together at one go and that the authorities justified the move by claiming the land was acquired some 20 years prior.Environmentalists urged govt to immediately halt further felling. PWD sources said the land acquisition for the process was done years ago.Sources in the forest department maintained that most of the trees felled were avenue trees, which are of less forestry value. “These trees serve as vital carbon sinks and are ecologically invaluable,” a senior official of the forest department said.
