The proposed pumped-storage power project in Karjat, Maharashtra, is facing growing political opposition over the reported felling of more than 32,000 trees in the Sahyadri forest range, with parties demanding clarity on its environmental impact, water use and benefits for local communities.
Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal said he would visit the Bhimashankar forest area with party supporters on Thursday to meet villagers protesting against the proposed tree felling. He accused the state government of failing to demonstrate the results of its earlier tree-planting commitment and called for development that does not compromise forests or public health.
“During Fadnavis’s previous term, the state had pledged to plant 33 crore trees. Nobody knows where those trees were planted. The state cannot afford such jokes at the cost of the environment and people’s health,” Sapkal said, referring to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray separately visited the Saidongar forest area in Karjat on Wednesday and questioned the location and beneficiaries of the proposed project. He asked where the power generated by the pumped-storage facility would be used and whether the government had considered alternative sites that would involve less damage to the forest.
“Who is going to benefit from this pumped storage power project inside Karjat forest, and more importantly, where will this power generated be used?” Thackeray said at a public gathering in Karjat. He also alleged that Gujarat-based investors were interested in Maharashtra’s forests, parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and coastal areas. These allegations were not independently established in the report.
The Peasants and Workers Party has also opposed the project. Its state spokesperson, Chitralekha Patil, said the party wanted information on the extent of tree felling, water requirements, environmental consequences and the rights of local residents before construction begins.
The opposition comes ahead of a possible visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 3 to lay the foundation stone for the project. PWP is likely to wave black flags during the visit, according to the report. The authorities have not been quoted as providing details on the project’s environmental approvals, exact water requirements, construction schedule or mitigation measures.
