Ganesh Naik
Mumbai: Maharashtra forest minister Ganesh Naik said he was looking at ways to protect as many trees as possible at the power project site in Saidongar, Raigad.
The forest department had approved the cutting of 32,490 trees for the Rs 13,500-crore project. If such power were to be generated from coal, then we would need 28 crore trees to mitigate the pollution which is impossible to plant,” he said earlier.
He said he is reviewing the project details. “I am looking into how maximum trees can be preserved at the site and how more trees can be planted for those that have been cut,” he said, adding that the CM had already spoken on the issue. The felling was halted amid massive pushback from citizens and opposition parties last week. CM Devendra Fadnavis has defended the project, saying it is environmentally sustainable and the Sahyadri range is the most suitable site for the project. “Solar and wind power that is generated is not available 24×7 and this impacts the grid. This is a 3000MW project.
Naik told reporters at Vashi on Saturday that permission for the project was granted much before he assumed charge of the forest department.