Panaji, Aug 25 (IANS): The Goa government has tied up with the central government's Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education to plant five lakh trees to compensate for the trees, which had to make way for the upcoming international airport project at Mopa plateau in North Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday.

"The cabinet has cleared the proposal. Five lakh trees will be planted as compensation for the trees cut at the Mopa international airport site," Sawant said.

"We have tied up with the Government of India's Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education to plant the trees surrounding the airport site. As per the agreement, the trees will also be taken care of in the future," Sawant said.

Sawant told the Goa legislative assembly earlier this year that 54,176 trees had been cut at the Mopa plateau to make way for the aviation project.

This upcoming airport, whose cost is estimated to be Rs. 2.615 crore, is a joint venture between GMR and the state government.

The first phase of Goa's upcoming Mopa international airport will be commissioned by August 2022 at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.