Congress Slams Tree Felling for Maharashtra Power Project, Calls It an Ecological Disaster
The Congress leader questions the environmental cost of the Rs 13,505 crore pumped storage project in Raigad, with opposition parties and environmental activists expressing concerns over forest destruction, tribal rights and wildlife.
NEW DELHI, Nov 3: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday criticised the reported large-scale removal of trees for a hydropower project in Maharashtra’s Western Ghats, describing it as another instance of environmental destruction affecting communities across the country.
The Congress general secretary in-charge of communications shared a media report on X highlighting claims that nearly 1,100 trees had already been felled, while more than 32,000 others had been identified for removal to facilitate the project.
Expressing concern over the environmental consequences, Ramesh questioned who would benefit from the development initiative and who would ultimately bear its costs.
“Yet another example of ecological devastation that is being inflicted on the people of our country,” he remarked while reacting to the report.
The proposed pumped-storage hydropower development in the Western Ghats has triggered a controversy over its potential impact on forest ecosystems, indigenous communities, wildlife habitats and the livelihoods of tribal residents.
The issue has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and environmental activists, who have raised questions about the extent of forest diversion and the environmental safeguards being followed during the project’s implementation.
Ramesh’s statement comes amid growing political opposition to the proposed construction near the ecologically sensitive Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary.
A few days earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut had alleged that the Maharashtra Forest Department had been directed to remove more than 32,000 trees in the area ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed visit next month for the foundation-stone ceremony of the project.
Raut had raised the issue through a post on X, sharing a letter purportedly issued by a forest official concerning approval for the diversion of 233 hectares of land.
The document reportedly relates to the Rs 13,505-crore Saidongar-I Karjat Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project in Maharashtra’s Raigad district.
The proposed facility is intended to support electricity storage and supply requirements through pumped-storage technology. Such projects generally use surplus electricity to pump water to an elevated reservoir and release it through turbines when additional power is required.
However, the project’s location in the Western Ghats has raised concerns because the region is recognised for its rich biodiversity, forest cover and ecological importance.
Opposition parties have accused the Maharashtra government of prioritising infrastructure development at the expense of environmental protection. Activists have also questioned the consequences of large-scale tree removal for wildlife movement, forest-dependent communities and the surrounding ecosystem.
The controversy has brought renewed attention to the challenge of balancing renewable energy infrastructure with the protection of environmentally sensitive regions.
While pumped-storage facilities can play an important role in supporting renewable energy integration and grid stability, environmental groups argue that their location, land requirements and impact on surrounding forests must be carefully assessed.
The issue is expected to remain politically contentious as opposition leaders continue to demand greater accountability over the project’s environmental implications.
