Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI:
Together for Panaji has expressed concern over the Smart City works damaging the age-old trees while executing Smart City works.
“As part of the ongoing smart city activities, we are witnessing heartbreaking instances of cutting off trees which have provided us shade for centuries,” it said in a letter to Panaji MLA Babush Monseratte, CCP and Imagine Panaji City Development limited.
Together for Panaji further said that the stretch of road in Caranzalem where the sewage works have started again is also home to some iconic trees.
“We urge the authorities to complete the work with no damage to the trees. We have attached images of the existing trees. These have withstood several storms and helped in cooling the areas,” it said.
It urged the MLA, IPSCFL and the CCP to look at trees as infrastructure and not as hurdles. “We also urge citizens to be vigilant and stop indiscriminate tree felling in their areas,” it said.
“We would like to remind authorities that a Smart City need not be at the cost of destruction to nature. It should be possible to develop infrastructure around nature with the smart application of engineering and technology,” it said.
