Goa, Sept. 10 -- In a strong display of vigilance, villagers of Surla in Salikee stopped the illegal cutting of thousands of trees that had begun in the area. Locals alleged that the activity was carried out secretly during the festive hustle of Ganesh Chaturthi, with the intention of avoiding detection.

According to resident Uday Natekar, Surla has faced environmental threats for decades. In 1980, mining was forcibly started in the village, exploiting the lack of awareness among residents and intimidating those who resisted. The large-scale mineral extraction and subsequent dumping of mining waste severely affected local agriculture and farmers' livelihoods.

In 2007, the late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and the late Minister Dr. Su...