Panaji, Mar 24 (IANS): The Goa forest department Wednesday ordered a moratorium on conversion of forest area after the opposition said that more than 50,000 trees had been felled to make way for mines.

Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar told the Goa assembly during question hour that nearly 100,000 trees were permitted to be cut, with 58,943 of them in forest areas for mining purposes, in the four-year tenure of the current Forest Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues.

"Are you afraid of mine owners? You arrest common people for cutting trees, why don't you act against mine owners," Parrikar asked the minister.

The 58,000 trees and the substantial reduction of forest cover was forcing the state animal, the Gaur, or the great Indian bison, to flee its natural habitat and enter villages, the senior Bharatiya Janata party leader said.

"The natural habitat of gaur is shrinking. That's why they are coming into villages from nearby forests," Parrikar said.

Several thousand gaurs, which are huge black bulls with shaggy manes, weighing nearly a tonne each, are living in Goa's forested areas.

Rodrigues later assured the house that no more forest land would be diverted for mining until a state forest policy was in place.