Year after being termed ‘grass’ in Goa, coconut reclaims tree status

The coconut palm tree in Goa is standing tall again, having reclaimed its status as a ‘tree’ a year after the state government downgraded it to ‘grass’.

The state assembly amended the Goa, Daman and Diu (Preservation) of Trees Act, 1984, last week following intense debates and immense pressure brought on the BJP-led government of the state to restore the coconut palm’s pride.

“We were committed to make coconut as the state tree as it reflects the uniqueness of the coastal state. It was a complete wrong move to have stripped it of its status of a tree in 2016,” said Vijai Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party.

Opposition parties and environmentalists alike had been opposed to the government’s move to declassify the coconut palm as a tree from the very beginning.

Tens of thousands of such trees dot the coastal state and critics alleged its declassification was to facilitate businesses to clear land for commercial projects.

They said the move will result in “mass massacre of coconut palm trees across the state”.

Sardesai’s Goa Forward Party, now an ally of the BJP government, fought assembly elections earlier this year on the principal issue of restoring the coconut palm’s original status.

The logo of the party is also the tree that was top on its election manifesto.

The Congress views the reclassification of the coconut palm as a victory of principles.

“I am glad better sense has prevailed. When you brought the amendment last time round, we said it was not right,” legislator Digambar Kamat reminded the state government during last week’s assembly discussion.

The BJP-led government headed by chief minister Manohar Parrikar is reluctant to talk about its change of heart on the coconut palm’s status.