MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande questions Fadnavis on tree felling for Torrent Power project in Karjat

A hydroelectric energy storage project by Torrent Power is proposed in Karjat taluka of Raigad district. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claims the project is in the state's interest and will create thousands of jobs. MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande has launched a sharp attack on this claim.

Deshpande was speaking at a press conference called in Mumbai on Monday. He asked where the trees would be planted, as Fadnavis has said. Fadnavis is talking of planting 90,000 trees, but space is needed for that too. Deshpande said all this was being done for two Gujaratis. According to him, projects such as GIFT City, where there is money to be made, go to Gujarat, while polluting projects are given to Maharashtra. He said plainly that this would not be allowed.

Deshpande said Raj Thackeray would visit the site on the morning of the 28th to inspect it, and would address a meeting in the evening.

Deshpande also raised questions on whom the power generated by the Torrent project is meant for, which project will need this power, and to whom the government wants to supply it. He said, "We do not want any development that destroys nature."

The forest department says the tree felling is not illegal. Deshpande responded that people there had wanted a road, and were then told that trees would have to be cut and the road could not be built. His question was how felling that was illegal then had become legal now.

Deshpande and Avinash Jadhav went to Karjat on Sunday night and saw the site where trees are being cut. According to Deshpande, the sight there was terrible. Trees 150 years old have been cut down. He asked what kind of development it is that involves cutting trees, and said felling on such a scale is not even needed. Calling the government a "tree-eating government", he asked why it had cut the trees.

Deshpande said Raj Thackeray will hold a meeting in Karjat on the 28th. According to him, the figure he saw runs up to 2075, while permission has been given to fell 32,000 trees. He also said he went to the local gram panchayat, where he was told that no permission had been taken for the tree felling.