Then Laxmikant Parsekar led government’s act of amending the tree act classifying Coconut as a palm and not tree would be re-amended during the next Goa Legislative Assembly session, the minister said today.

“In the next assembly session, we will re-amend Goa Preservation of Trees Act restoring the tree status to Coconut tree. We will rescind the amendment done by then Parsekar led government to the act,” State Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai said.

Sardesai, who was then in the opposition, had began a campaign against State government’s act of amending the act, which, according to him, had given blanket permission to people for cutting down Cocounut trees.

The minister said Manohar Parrikar-led government has kept a strict watch on the applications that are received by State Forest department asking for the permission to cut down Coconut tree.

“Before amending the act, the Coconut trees were allowed to be cut, under genuine reasons. If the tree has bend precariously causing danger to the life or property, the department was allowing it to be cut,” Sardesai said.

He expressed worry that the amendment injected by Parsekar-led government would have threatened existence of Coconut trees, which symbolizes uniqueness of this coastal state.

Sardesai also said State government will declare Coconut as a State tree providing it better protection

Team TNV