PANJIM, April 29 -- Team Herald

The controversy surrounding alleged illegal tree felling near the High Court of Bombay at Goa has intensified, with petitioners now submitting photographic and video evidence contradicting official claims by the Forest Department.

The material, filed in an affidavit-in-reply on Tuesday, points to widespread tree cutting on the southern and eastern cliffs surrounding the High Court complex in Porvorim.

On March 12 this year, the High Court of Bombay at Goa had issued an interim order stopping the felling of trees while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition filed by Ganpat Sidhaye and Dinesh Dias.

The petitioners stated that a cursory examination of the photographs and video footage acc...