Valentine’s Day in Goa may well have a coconutty flavour this February 14.
Civil society activists in Goa have proposed an innovative protest on Valentine’s Day which involves a photo contest featuring couples and lovers hugging coconut trees, apart from a coconut-themed party, featuring food, song, dance and a handicrafts exhibition, all of this, with the coconut tree as the central theme.
Speaking to The Pioneer, Armando Gonsalves, who is a part of the Goa For Giving trust, said that the innovative series of protest on the day when the “world universally celebrates love” is meant to drive public opinion against last month’s controversial amendment to the Goa Daman and Diu Preservation of Trees Act 1984, which officially de-recognised the coconut palm as a tree.
“This draconian amendment was passed on January 14. On February 14, Valentine’s Day, it completes one month. Through our protests on this day, we are trying to get the people to protest against this law, which goes against the very social and cultural identity of Goa,” Gonsalves said.
“Young lovers and married couples can send photos of them hugging the coconut trees to participate in the contest, which will be professionally judged. Those who do not have valentines can make the coconut trees their valentine. The coconut tree needs all our love and support,” Gonsalves said.
The Opposition as well as civil society has repeatedly accused the BJP-led coalition government in Goa of amending the Goa Daman and Diu Preservation of Trees act 1984 and dropping the tree status accorded to the coconut tree in order to unfairly hasten real estate and industrial development at the cost of environment.
Forest minister Rajendra Arlekar has however defended the amendment saying a coconut palm does not fit the definition of a tree even botanically.
Arlekar said that the amendment was aimed to help coconut farmers to avoid red-tape.
“I am sure Goans will never cut the coconut palm because of the love they have for it. But it was included in error as a tree by the government (a former Congress-led coalition government) in 2008. We are correcting the anomaly in the act,” Arlekar had said, while rejecting allegations made by the Opposition that the correction was made with ulterior motives.
Over 25,000 hectares of land in Goa is covered by coconut plantations which give an annual yield of over a million coconuts. The picturesque coconut tree, which is well-chronicled in regional fables and phrases is regarded as one of the most important trees here, thanks to its multiple utilities.
Which is exactly why Prajal Sakhardande of the History Heritage Action Group insists that the possible destruction of the coconut tree, facilitated by amendment, could amount to the destruction of Goa. “The coconut tree is symbolic of Goa. Every part of the coconut tree influences our lives, our culture and our way of life, right from the pulp which is used in curries to the wood which is used as roof-rafter, to the offerings made in our temples,” Sakhardande said.
Sakhardande was part of the ‘Save the coconut tree chipko movement’, which last month hugged trees along the National Highway 17, as a symbolic protest agains the amendment.
On February 14, local celebrities led by well known fashion designer Wendell Rodricks, will repeat the act. “We will hug the coconut trees at Guirim and Nuvem which are to be felled,” Sakhardande said.
After the public hugging of coconut trees, the scene will shift to South Goa’s Arossim beach, where a coconut-themed food, music and cultural event is expected to unfold.