India, Oct. 27 -- Amid the huge protest against the chopping of over 32,000 trees in Karjat for a hydroelectric power project, the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) on Monday gave its assent to another power project that will lead to tree-hacking. The SBWL recommended a proposal to grant 136 hectares in the tiger corridor connecting the tiger reserves of Navegaon Nagzira Pench and Kanha Indravati to lay a 400-kV line from Raipur in Chhattisgarh to Tiroda in Gondia district of Maharashtra.

The project, being executed by Adani Power, will entail the chopping of 5,152 trees, 3,244 of which are less than 60 cm in diameter while 1,908 are over 60 cm. Adani Power has been told to deposit Rs.447 lakh with the forest department for mitigation meas...