Destruction of green cover in Goa, India

Urban planners and environmentalists have expressed concern over the continued erosion of the Goa state’s green cover, particularly in Pernem. Speaking to TOI, many of them called for stronger checks and balances to ensure that eco-sensitive zones such as private forests, orchards, and fields are not destroyed.
Referring specifically to the town and country planning (TCP) department’s draft zoning plan based on the geographic information system (GIS), urban planners questioned how the zoning plan for a taluka could go beyond a notified regional plan for the state.

“The TCP Act very specifically says that the zoning plan has to conform with the regional plan. You cannot change the boundaries of the settlement areas or natural cover,” said architect Tahir Noronha, the former convener of the Charles Correa Foundation (CCF). He added, “You can give more space or FAR (floor area ratio) within the settlement zone, but you cannot create floating islands of settlement area or floating commercial zones within an orchard land.”
TOI carried an extensive report highlighting the conversion of orchards, fields, natural cover, and private forests in Pernem.

Amidst opposition across the country, the Central government notified the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act 2023 which seeks to restrict the conservation scope of the Act to only certain forest lands while it also allows some non-forest activities on forest lands like running zoos and eco-tourism facilities.

The amendments, which have come into force from August 14, have caused concern among environmental activists as well as former forest officials who say that the new Sections dilute the mandate of forest protection and conservation. According to them, of the total 60.62 percent forest cover, only 50 to 60 percent of it is government forest, which means a large portion of the forest cover will be available for exploitation.

The amendments also exempt border lands from the obligation to seek permissions to clear forests to construct “strategic linear projects of national importance”.

Renowned environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar said that the amendments will open legal and official grounds for the government to facilitate developmental activities at the cost of the environment, forest and wildlife. “In Goa, we have seen people fighting to protect forest and wildlife, which has been destroyed rampantly. But the latest amendment will hamper forest and wildlife habitat along with the environment and ecology by large, with official government blessings.

Former Deputy Conservator of Forest Milind Karkhanis questioned the government's motive behind the amendments. “We don't know what the motive of the government behind the amendments is. As the government has decided on their wisdom, rationality and effects, the results of the decision will be seen later,” he said.

A series of forest fires have broken out in Goa. The fires have been fueled by a long dry spell and high summer temperatures with low humidity, which have created a conducive environment for fire.

The fires have primarily occurred in deciduous areas and have been surface fires, burning loose and dried vegetation, shrubs, small trees, and saplings that are close to the ground. Due to the burning debris, smoke and fumes have covered a large area.

The ministry stated that the forest fires in Goa appear to be largely caused by human activities, either inadvertently or intentionally, and an investigation has been launched to determine the cause.

The Forest Department in Goa has been working closely with the District Collectors, Superintendents of Police, and other relevant departments to address the occurrence of fires as a top priority.

Efforts are being made to contain the fire spots and minimize damage to life, property, and natural resources. All officials involved have been placed on high alert, and the situation is being closely monitored with necessary instructions being issued to responsible officers as needed.

Sporadic incidents of forest fires continued till May.

According to a forest department inquiry report, a total of 74 fire incidents were reported in this period. Of these, 32 fires affected parts of all of the state’s wildlife sanctuaries – Mhadei, Netravali, Cotigao and Bhagwaan Mahaveer wildlife sanctuaries. The most major fires were reported from a few villages in Sattari taluka, which is surrounded by forests and hillocks across Salcete taluka in South Goa. 

Forest fires in Goa affected 418 hectares of land, impacting the biodiversity and ecology of these forests.
Loss of vegetation by forest fires leads to soil erosion and robs the soil of its water retention capacity, decreasing infiltration and increasing streamflow. Environmentalists believe this can also pose a threat of landslides and flooding in the region.

In November 1, at least 5,000 Goans assembled near the level crossing at Chandor, a village in South Goa. They demonstrated against the double tracking of the South Western Railway line.

Goa saw huge protests as six iconic mango trees, most of which were over 200 years old, were felled overnight for a highway expansion project in Colvale. 

In October, , in Assagao, a village in North Goa, 47 mature trees were felled illegally overnight.  

The India State of Forest Report, said “forest cover within the recorded forest area has decreased by 9 square km (900 ha) due to mining and other developmental activities” within two years from its 2015 assessment. 

The state made yet another amendment to the Goa, Daman & Diu Tree Protection Act, that has further enabled tree felling – the definition of a tree was altered to mean “a woody plant whose trunk is not less than 10 cm in diameter at a height of 1 m from the ground”, as opposed to its earlier definition “a woody plant whose trunk was not less than 5 cm in diameter at a height of 30 cm from the ground”.

The Goa State government refused to recognise about 1000 sq kms of land as forest land – a discrepancy due to the different criteria adopted by the Forest Department of Goa and the Forest Survey of India. 

A report by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) estimated that 2500 hectares of forests were lost due to mining between 1988-1997. 

In August, Daman and Diu Preservation of Trees Act in Goa came into force.