PANAJI | Jun 06, 2016: Why is it so hot? In the last ten years, over 10 crore trees have been cut to widen roads and highways.

A member of a group on messaging app, WhatsApp, tries to analyze the reasons for the phenomenal mercury rise with details of maximum temperatures in major Indian cities - Nagpur 49 degrees Celsius and Lucknow 47.0 degrees Celsius, among others.

This is surely not the only reason for global warming . But the post further warns that temperatures in these cities will soon cross 50 degrees Celsius.

So please do not wait for the government to plant trees. Sowing seeds or planting trees does not cost much. One plant one whatsapp guy... we will easily reach 10 crore plants," the message concludes.

With yet another Environment Day turning into just another page of history, it was an occasion for everybody to assess the impact of the type of development that governments are pursuing and many of us are keeping quiet about, willingly or helplessly.

In Goa, while the wheels of development have been grinding full steam ahead, roads are perceived as an important cog in it.

A few thousands of tall and majestic trees, whose mystic charm and ambience is not easy to recreate through fresh plantations, have been slaughtered for various four lanes projects including Bambolim-Dona Paula, Chimbel-Old Goa-Corlim, Galgibaga, for mining bypass at Ugem, broadening of national highway at Galgibaga, Pernem, among others.

Plans are also afoot to clear large patches of forests for mining bypasses at Rumbrem, Sanvordem and Panchwadi, for a new link between Loutolim and Verna and for broadening of highways and major district roads in Goa.

The declassification of the coconut tree sparked off a furore, but the green carnage on the roadside drew hardly any protests, as citizens perhaps recoiled at the thought of obstructing development or being considered anti-development.

A cluster of other activities, including illegal stripping of private forests to subvert the land use pattern and the construction boom, has also significantly shrunk the state's green cover, sources said.

"Trees have also been cut for mining, industries and housing projects, but they are hardly being replaced," says Avertino Miranda, coordinator, Goa Green Brigade .

But citizens often do protest if they feel the development threatens to extract too much of a price from the fragile ecology and disturb their ambient peace.

Prominent citizens and students of Goa University had petitioned various authorities to halt the axing of about 700 trees along the major district road from Bambolim to Dona Paula. "A lot of our biodiversity, from tiny spiders, butterflies, moths to reptiles and squirrels and not to speak of bird diversity, depends on these mature trees ," a petition stated.

Environmentalists and tree lovers echo similar views. "We should all work to make the planet green and stop global warming. For, this is the only way to mitigate global warming and reduce the misery of mankind. If possible, not a single tree should be allowed to be cut," says Abhijeet Prabhudesai, an environmental activist.

PWD sources say that the union road transport and highways ministry has plans to plant 200 crore trees along national highways at a cost of 5,000 crore.

Citizens say trees have been planted along the Bambolim-Dona Paula road. But some are skeptical about the survival rate of these planted trees, saying that they should be planted before any trees are felled for projects. "Once the trees are felled, there is no mechanism to ensure that compensatory tree cover is provided," landscape designer, Daniel D'Souza said.

Tree lovers and activists suggest use of modern technology to halt the alarming loss of green cover. Goa Green Brigade recently called on Forest Minister, Rajendra Arlekar with a plea to utilize tree transplanting machinery to translocate them. "The trees can be pruned to reduce their weight and transplanted at a cost of a few thousand rupees," Miranda said.

The minister has agreed to look into the matter.

With more projects hostile to ecology on the cards, it is imperative that better sense prevails. "Nature makes better forests than man. It is better to conserve what we have," says Prabhudesai.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)