Trees felled in Karjat's Saidongar forest for Torrent project; 32,480 cleared for axing

Trees are being felled on a large scale in the Saidongar area of Pali Tarfe Kotwal Khalati in Karjat taluka for Torrent Power's hydroelectric project, raising concerns over the environment. The forest department has reportedly permitted the felling of all 32,480 trees on 640 acres of forest land for the project.

The 640 acres in reserved forest survey numbers 28 and 29 at Saidongar have been given to the Torrent project. The Karjat forest department is said to have granted permission to cut the trees on October 7, 2026. Felling began on the auspicious occasion of Dussehra.

Labourers brought from Wada and Mokhada talukas of Palghar district were reportedly cutting about 500 trees a day. The felling could take around five months to complete.

The forest department itself has put up boards describing the area as sensitive and protected forest. The no-entry boards at Saidongar are also the department's. The area is described as sensitive and reserved forest, yet permission has been given to fell trees there. This has raised questions about the forest department's role, and local residents and nature lovers are angry.

Aaditya Thackeray, leader of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) party, strongly criticised the government. He asked whose blessings were behind the felling of thousands of trees in disregard of opposition from local people and nature lovers. He also asked why Maharashtra's environment was being sacrificed in the haste to hold a bhoomipujan in November.

Meanwhile, the Karjat Paryavaran Bachav Samiti has decided to hold a Chipko agitation by hugging the trees. The committee has announced that actor Sayaji Shinde will join the agitation.

The felling at Saidongar is facing strong local opposition. The Paryavaran Bachav Samiti and citizens are raising their voices against the action.

In view of the growing protests, the contractor company has reportedly sent away the tree-cutting labourers who had come from Wada and Mokhada. The labourers have reportedly not been seen in the Saidongar forest since yesterday. Even so, thousands of trees remain under threat, and the confrontation is likely to intensify.