Shankar Poliji, a prominent environmental activist from Goa, has voiced his concerns about the government’s ongoing plans to cut down trees, particularly the iconic banyan trees, in the name of development. He expressed his frustration that despite repeated appeals, the government continues with its decision to cut down trees to make way for industrial expansion projects, such as the coal export initiative by Mormugao Port Trust (MPT). According to Poliji, these actions are detrimental to the environment, and the government’s priorities are clear—economic growth comes at the expense of nature.

Poliji has called for one final attempt to rally environmental activists across Goa to urge the government to reconsider its approach and halt the tree felling. He emphasized that while the government has ignored his previous warnings, he will continue his fight to protect Goa’s green cover, hoping to raise awareness and pressure the authorities into making more sustainable choices.

This movement is part of broader protests and resistance seen across Goa against the destruction of trees for development projects, with many activists arguing that proper tree translocation efforts have not been adequately considered. For instance, in Panjim, the cutting of century-old trees as part of the Smart City development faced strong protests from citizens and activists, who criticized the lack of expertise in tree translocation and questioned the true necessity of such measures.