Mumbai, Nov. 10 -- Forest officials in Maharashtra's Alibag division have asked Gujarat-based Torrent Power to transplant as many trees as possible for its pumped storage hydropower project in Karjat. The project requires 370 hectares across the Saidongar, Kotwal Khalati and Pali areas, where more than 32,000 trees are expected to be affected.
Umesh Bawde, deputy conservator of forests in charge of the Alibag division, said officials had verbally instructed Torrent Power to prioritise transplantation and protect trees in the submergence area. He added that the forest department would issue a formal communication to the company soon.
Tree-cutting operations began after the state forest department diverted 233 hectares of forest land for the project on October 6. The work was suspended in the last week of October after videos circulated on social media, prompting protests by local residents and environmentalists. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray later visited the site and supported the protesters.
The controversy also drew a response from Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who said the Rs. 130 bn project would generate 3,000 MW of power. He argued that producing the same output through thermal power would create pollution comparable to that generated by 4 mn vehicles. Fadnavis also said meeting peak-hour demand with coal-based electricity would require planting 280 mn trees to offset the resulting pollution.
Forest officials said meetings at the state secretariat in Mumbai and the forest department headquarters in Nagpur led to an agreement under which Torrent Power would plant three trees for every tree felled. The company also agreed to plant 90,000 trees around the project's water body at its own expense. Torrent Power did not respond to requests for comment on the issue.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.