Goa, Oct. 19 -- Tension gripped Surla in Bicholim taluka on Saturday after villagers staged a protest at the panchayat office over the cancellation of a scheduled joint inspection into alleged illegal tree felling in the area. The protest was triggered after the Bicholim Deputy Collector and Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) abruptly called off the inspection that the village panchayat had arranged following demands raised during a gram sabha.

According to village biodiversity committee members and residents, hundreds of trees were allegedly felled in the area, prompting local demands for a thorough joint inspection by the panchayat, Talathi, surveyor, and forest officials. However, the Deputy Collector informed the panchayat that the Range F...