After pressure from Opposition, Goa govt backtracks on contentious Trees Bill

The Bill, which was introduced in the Goa Legislative Assembly on Monday with the intention of revamping the Goa Tree Authorities, however, also included clauses that the opposition claimed would vastly reduce the powers of the statutory bodies and reduce them to only an advisory function with reduced power.

The Goa government on Tuesday backtracked and referred the contentious Goa Preservation of Trees Amendment Bill to a Select Committee after pressure from the Opposition, which alleged that the government was downgrading the authorities to ‘advisory’ bodies via the amendment.

The Goa government on Tuesday backtracked and referred the contentious Goa Preservation of Trees Amendment Bill to a Select Committee after pressure from the Opposition. (ANI PHOTO.)

The Bill, which was introduced in the Goa Legislative Assembly on Monday with the intention of revamping the Goa Tree Authorities, however, also included clauses that the opposition claimed would vastly reduce the powers of the statutory bodies and reduce them to only an advisory function with reduced power.

“Via this amendment, the tree authorities will be reduced to an advisory function. They will be rendered toothless and only be reduced to giving advice to the government departments regarding the preservation of trees,” independent legislator Rohan Khaunte said.

“The proposed Authority shall act as a principal advisory [body] to the government for protection, preservation and conservation of trees covered under the Act,” the government said.

However, perusal of the sections of the Bill revealed that the powers of the authority were set to be curtailed from having the authority ensure preservation of all trees within its jurisdiction to now only having the power “to advise the Government and all concerned for preservation of all trees within its jurisdiction”.

After hearing arguments from the opposition benches, the Goa Chief Minister, perhaps because it is the final session of the Goa Legislative Assembly agreed to relent and directed that the Bill be referred to a select committee, where it is likely to lapse.

Another Bill, introduced by the Goa government on Monday, The Goa (Verification of Tenants) Bill, 2021 that, among other provisions, proposed to introduce a prison term up to six months for landlords who fail to verify the antecedents of their prospective tenants was also referred to a Select Committee.

The two day session that concluded on Tuesday is the last session scheduled of the assembly before the state goes to polls.