Pune: Defending the proposed 3,000 MW pumped-storage power project in Karjat, BJP leader Navnath Ban on Friday said around 20,000 to 23,000 trees would be felled for the project, but twice that number would be planted as compensatory afforestation. He argued that the environmental impact of the project should be assessed against the pollution that would be generated if the same amount of electricity were produced through coal-based power plants.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP office in Pune, Ban said the project was located around 16 km from the Bhimashankar forest and was essential to meet the growing demand for electricity, particularly during peak evening hours.
Ban said, “Some trees will certainly have to be cut for the project, but the company has agreed to plant double the number of trees and has also provided additional land for this purpose. If we generate 3,000 MW of electricity through coal, the pollution caused would require nearly 2.5 lakh trees to absorb the carbon dioxide. We must understand the difference between cutting a few thousand trees and the environmental impact of coal-based power generation.”
Explaining how the project would function, Ban said solar energy would be used during the day to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir. During peak demand between 5pm and 11pm, the stored water would be released downhill to generate electricity. He maintained that Marathwada was unsuitable for such a project due to inadequate rainfall, limited water availability and the absence of the required hilly terrain.
Gokul row: BJP defends Cabinet decision
On the controversy surrounding the Gokul cooperative milk union, Ban defended the Maharashtra Cabinet’s decision to allow four nominated members in cooperative institutions with a turnover exceeding ₹500 crore. He said Gokul’s existing by-laws required a quorum of 14 members, while the previous election had resulted in 13 seats for the Maha Vikas Aghadi and 12 for the Mahayuti, leaving neither side with the required strength.
“The decision will help complete the quorum and allow the process of electing Gokul’s chairman to move forward. There is no question of taking Gokul to Gujarat. Gokul belongs to Maharashtra and will remain under the control of Marathi people,” he said, targeting Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut over his criticism of the decision.
BJP admits need for introspection after Pune election defeat
Commenting on the BJP’s defeat in the Pune graduates’ constituency election, Ban admitted that the party needed to introspect and improve coordination within the Mahayuti. He said BJP state president Ravindra Chavan and national organisation general secretary BL Santhosh had held meetings in Pune to review the outcome.
“We either win or learn. We have learnt some lessons from the Pune election and will introspect on why we lost. We will ensure better coordination within the Mahayuti in future,” he said.
He added that the decision on whether the NCP would join the NDA rested with Sharad Pawar and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.
Targets Congress, Raut over political developments
Ban accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition of attempting to destabilise elected governments through protests, arguing that governments should be changed through elections and constitutional processes. He claimed that the BJP’s rallies in Nagpur and Solapur had attracted larger crowds than the Congress-led demonstrations in Delhi.
He also criticised Sanjay Raut over his remarks on Hasan Mushrif receiving a clean chit, sarcastically suggesting that Raut approach higher or international courts if he had doubts about the decision.
On the TCS case, Ban said the police had taken cognisance of the matter and would investigate before taking appropriate action. He further alleged that environmental concerns were selectively raised against Hindu festivals such as Holi and Diwali, demanding that environmental issues during other religious celebrations also receive equal consideration.
