times news networkPanaji: As Goa starts its mission to plant and raise 10 lakh trees within six months, chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Saturday that panchayats and zilla panchayats have a major role to play, involving local schools, colleges, youth clubs, NGOs, self-help groups, and biodiversity committees in the plantation and maintenance of these trees.Speaking at an online interaction with panchayats, he said that at the end of 90 days on Sep 5, state govt would also give out awards to villages that are able to ban the use of single-use plastics and prove to be the cleanest in the state, without waste dumps or littering in public places.The CM also said that several states, such as Assam, have their officially-declared cleanest villages, and that he aspires that Goa has a few such villages too.Sawant asked panchayats to get self-help groups to take responsibility to maintain trees planted along 20km of the highways during the programme, and said that they would be paid an honorarium by state govt.The CM said that the PWD will arrange to dig holes for plantation and make provision for water after the monsoon, to water the plants. He said that govt wants local schools, colleges, and panchayats to come forward to carry out the plantation and maintenance, as greening of the state should be a shared responsibility.“Govt can plant trees, but then they will be seen as govt’s trees. We want the citizens to feel the trees belong to them,” said Sawant.He said that although Goa has 68% of its land under forest, the state’s roads are without shade.“People entering Goa from Mopa, Dabolim, Mollem, Keri, or Patradevi should be amazed at the greenery. We have taken up a mission to green NH-66, but in some places, we have land available, and in other places, we do not. I appeal to farmers in such areas where land is not available to plant trees in their land. We will plant indigenous trees because many trees that were common in my childhood are no longer visible. These trees will not only give you oxygen, but the citizens will be free to consume the fruit, it is for the people,” said Sawant.He also asked panchayats to identify open spaces in their area and inform the PWD for the planning of green spaces. Sawant said that plants would be provided by the agriculture department, forest department, and biodiversity board.“Goa has approximately 11 lakh voters, and considering some are elderly, I urge the other 10 lakh voters to plant at least one tree each,” said Sawant. He also said that he has asked PIs and PSIs to keep watch to ensure that waste is not dumped by the roadsides.“I want people to stop throwing garbage bags into rivers and waterbodies. Rental premises, particularly, are causing more waste issues. I request panchayats to collect more tax from such premises,” said Sawant.
