Pune: Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday accused chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of “turning Maharashtra into a desert” through large-scale tree felling, claiming that 4-5 lakh trees could soon be hewed for a proposed hydroelectric power project in the forest area of Karjat in Raigad district.Speaking to reporters during a visit to Hinjewadi IT Park in Pune city, Thackeray said he would visit Karjat on Monday to meet villagers and discuss the next course of action to oppose the proposed tree felling.Targeting the CM over the proposed project, Thackeray challenged govt’s claim that it was environmentally friendly.“Fadnavis has decided to turn Maharashtra into a desert and govt is moving in that direction. The CM claims the Karjat project is environmentally friendly. Let him show us how. Last year, he announced that 300 crore trees would be planted. It has been a year since then. Where are these trees going to be planted?” he said.He alleged that environmental clearances granted for infrastructure projects and development have led to the destruction of mangroves and raised concerns over reduction of buffer zones around Ramsar sites, which are internationally recognised wetlands.“Large-scale tree felling has also been permitted in the Western Ghats, part of the Sahyadri range recognised as an ecologically sensitive zone,” Thackeray said. Referring to Gadchiroli and Chandrapur, he claimed that forest officials have reported the loss of tiger corridors, even though telemetry surveys and other data indicate the presence of this wildlife.Thackeray further questioned govt’s approach to compensatory afforestation, citing tree felling in Mumbai, including in the Kandivli forest, and proposed plantation of replacement trees in Chandrapur.“When trees are cut in Mumbai, govt says compensatory plantations will be carried out in Chandrapur. But forests in Chandrapur itself are being destroyed. If you are destroying forests there, where will you carry out compensatory plantation? Are you going to plant digital trees?” he asked.Aaditya said his uncle, MNS chief Raj Thackeray, will also visit Karjat and meet villagers around the proposed project site.Tree felling protest in ChakanResidents of Chakan on Sunday staged a protest march against proposed tree felling in Karjat. Local resident Pratik Jadhav said there was a discrepancy in the number of trees likely to be cut and what is shown in paperwork, with experts estimating the figure to be much higher than the 35,000 cited by govt.“Some trees facing the axe in Karjat are 400-500 years old. Their loss cannot be compensated for at any cost,” Jadhav said, adding that they decided to organise a protest to send out a message that such projects will not be tolerated by the common people anymore.Another resident, Ram Kolhe, said development should not come at the cost of the environment. “The government must realise that the loss of green cover will lead to greater problems in the future. Those in power need to understand the long-term consequences of such decisions,” he said.
