Omraje Nimbalkar demands immediate halt to tree felling at Bhimashankar

Trees are being felled in the Sai Dongar area of Karjat taluka in Raigad. The Thackeray-led Sena held a march today to protest. Hundreds of Shiv Sainiks reached the forest under the leadership of Aaditya Thackeray. Shiv Sena leader Anil Parab attacked the government and targeted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. MLA Aaditya Thackeray also visited the spot, backed the protesters and targeted Fadnavis.

Omraje Nimbalkar, MP of Shinde's Shiv Sena, has now also opposed the felling. After MLAs Aaditya Thackeray and Rohit Pawar, the Dharashiv MP also objected to the felling at Bhimashankar. Nimbalkar said the felling was unfortunate and should be stopped immediately.

He said a tree takes 150 to 250 years to grow. According to him, the consequences of harming nature are being experienced today. On this ground he questioned the government's stand.

Nimbalkar also demanded that if cutting trees for a project cannot be avoided, 100 trees be planted for every tree felled, and that responsibility for keeping them alive for some years be fixed. He said farmers are bearing the brunt of nature's fury today, and the government should take firm steps to stop the felling.

Meanwhile, Parab alleged that Fadnavis is cutting trees in the Sahyadri while calling the project an environmental one, when he is only destroying trees for the benefit of his friends. According to Parab, more than 32,000 trees will be felled for the project. But opponents have raised the serious point that in reality 7 to 8 lakh trees are to be felled.

Parab said Forest Department figures are never accurate. He said even the Mughals had not touched Maharashtra's forest wealth this way, but this government has done it. He alleged that the government is throwing dust in people's eyes.

Parab also said rain is vital for power generation and trees are vital for rain. According to him, injustice is being done not only to the Konkan but to the whole of Maharashtra.