Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Bombay High Court at Goa has suspended further tree removal activities linked to the NH-66 widening project, citing apparent shortcomings in the decision-making process that authorised large-scale felling along the Cortalim–Margao corridor.
Hearing a public interest petition, a Division Bench of Justices Valmiki Menezes and Hiten Venegavkar directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to maintain the existing situation on site, effectively preventing the cutting of the remaining 80 trees and the relocation of another 55 trees until further orders.
The dispute centres on an approval issued in April this year that permitted the removal of 422 trees and the transplantation of 55 others from a total of 477 trees identified as being affected by the highway expansion project.
During the hearing, government representatives informed the court that 342 trees had already been felled. However, the Bench observed that the remaining trees still require closer examination before any further action can be taken.
The judges questioned whether all available options to preserve trees had been adequately explored before granting permission. Records placed before the court indicated that earlier inspections had recommended maximising tree preservation and considering transplantation wherever feasible. Those recommendations had also suggested obtaining expert guidance on tree relocation.
According to the Bench, there was no indication that specialised opinions on transplantation were obtained before the final approval was granted. The court also noted that the documents submitted did not clearly establish whether the Tree Officer had personally inspected the affected trees or assessed the proposed locations for transplantation and compensatory planting.
Another concern highlighted by the court was the lack of detailed reasoning in the approval order. The Bench observed that the documents did not clearly explain how authorities concluded that 422 trees should be cut while only 55 were considered suitable for relocation.
The court further pointed out that previous judicial directions required authorities to thoroughly evaluate alternatives to felling, including transplantation and conservation measures, and to provide specific plans regarding replacement planting. At first glance, the Bench found these requirements may not have been fully addressed in the approval process.
### Expert Committee To Submit Findings
To obtain an independent assessment, the High Court has appointed a three-member committee consisting of senior representatives from the Forest Department, Goa State Biodiversity Board and ICAR-CCARI.
The panel has been asked to inspect the 80 trees still standing, evaluate the 55 trees proposed for relocation, and examine the sites identified for transplantation and replantation. Its report is to be submitted before the next hearing scheduled for June 24.
Until then, no further tree cutting or relocation can take place at the project site, with the court directing authorities to maintain status quo pending the committee’s findings.
