Sanjay Raut slams Ujjwal Nikam's backing of Torrent Power project, targets government over tree felling

Politics has heated up over Torrent Power's proposed hydroelectric energy storage project in Karjat taluka of Raigad district. The Opposition and environmentalists allege that trees are being felled on a large scale for the project and have targeted the government over it. Local villagers and environmentalists are also alleging tree felling in the forest of the Saydongar and Pali Khalati areas of Karjat.

Meanwhile, senior lawyer, special public prosecutor and BJP MP Adv Ujjwal Nikam has said the Karjat pumped storage project is eco-friendly. He also set out the facts of the project as he sees them. Thackeray faction leader and MP Sanjay Raut flared up after Nikam backed the tree felling.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, the 27th, Raut said he respects Nikam and that they are friends, but that for the sake of a parliamentary seat Nikam has trampled his own reputation. According to Raut, 10 trees equal one Kasab, and he weighs trees and Kasab on the same scale. He said Nikam should understand that those who have cut 2,500 trees are worse than Kasab's father.

Raut said 33,000 trees are to be felled in the first phase, which means the entire forest is being destroyed. According to him, Bhimashankar Wildlife is 20 km from the site, and tribal communities live in this forest. Citing Narendra Modi's "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" campaign, he asked whether the trees planted by tribal people also have a mother. Raut said local people have told him that the hill has many plants used to treat snake and scorpion venom and save lives.

Raut alleged that the Devendra Fadnavis government has handed the entire forest to the Gujarat-based Torrent company. According to him, guns are pointed at farmers if they protest, and thousands of police personnel from Raigad district have been deployed there. Raut said he and Aaditya Thackeray have spoken to the villagers and that Raj Thackeray is going there tomorrow. Environmentalists from across the country are also contacting them, he said, and the fight will not stop here.

The company has clarified that the project will run for 60 years and that wildlife will be protected. Raut asked where saplings would be planted after cutting trees that are 200 and 300 years old, and where the space is. He cited the felling of 3,000 trees at Aarey and said this government has no shame. He also spoke of scrapping the environment ministry at the Centre and in Maharashtra.

Raut said he is not against industry. According to him, Maharashtra has been an industry-friendly state since the time of Yashwantrao Chavan, and he does not need to learn this from Modi or Fadnavis. He said he wants industrialists like Tata, Birla, Kirloskar and Mahindra, not Adani.

On Vidarbha, Raut said mines are being given to Adani in the Chandrapur area and around 5,000 trees are to be felled. He asked Fadnavis to oppose this. He also asked former forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar to start an agitation, saying that "we will join as well".