BJP allies Shiv Sena & NCP oppose Maharashtra's Karjat power project; CM Devendra Fadnavis terms it 'eco-friendly'

Mumbai: BJP allies have joined the chorus to stop the 3,000 MW Torrent Power pump storage project in Maharashtra's Karjat. The government's allies, Shiv Sena and NCP, have opposed the project claiming that it will harm the environment. This, even as the CM Devendra Fadnavis continued to defend the project.

"Whether it be this or any other project, when 100-150-year-old trees and, in some cases 250-year-old trees are being cut, then it is unfortunate and damaging for the environment. Today, we are facing the effects of El Nino due to the damage we have done to the environment. Hence, if you cut the trees in such a manner, then it should be stopped immediately," Shiv Sena MP Omraje Nimbalkar said.

"If they (firm) want to cut trees, first let them plant 100 trees for each tree they are going to cut and then give permission. Everyone must take this seriously. We are already experiencing climate change and we need to oppose this," he said.


Meanwhile, local NCP leaders from the district also visited the power project at Karjat and backed the protestors' demand to stop the project. NCP spokesman Suraj Chavan said he is opposed to the project. "When winter comes, there is no cold, when monsoon comes there is no rain. The world is grappling with climate change. At one point, we say 'plant more trees' and the next thing we do is to cut fully grown trees. We are all for development but while doing it, one should not cause damage to the environment... If Ajit Pawar were alive, then he would have opposed the project," Chavan said.

Fadnavis said: "Pump storage projects are environment friendly. If we oppose pump storage projects, then for 3,000 MW if we use a coal project, we will have to plant 28 crore more trees to mitigate the impact of the coal plant, which is impossible. A battery storage project has a 25-year life while a pump storage plant has a life of 80 years and unlike battery tech, we do not have to rely on Chinese tech. What you see now is temporary damage. In the long term, pump storage is beneficial for the environment." He accused those opposing the project of doing so for the sake of politics. He, however, said the government is not closed to hearing concerns about the project.