Growing Outrage Over Goa's 'Super Laws'

Environmentalists are up in arms over the new 'super laws' passed by the Goa Assembly. They claim the Goa Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Act 2016, which allows eco-tourism activities in eco-sensitive zones, the Goa Preservation of Trees (Amendment) Act 2016, which classifies coconuts as palms and not trees, and the Investment Promotion Board Act, combined, will destroy the state's green zones. The opposition is alleging that the state government has succumbed to Goa's builder lobby's pressure. The Goa government has rubbished these charges. They say such laws will fast-track the state's development and that the opposition is trying to fool the people of Goa.