Ajit Pawar opposes tree cutting for Kumbh, cautious Fadnavis says people turning environmentalist for political reasons

The chief minister stated that he and his deputies, Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, are of the view that trees should be spared in the first place. In case the ground needs to be cleared, the trees should be relocated, he said.

“We will certainly come up with such a solution so that there is no damage to the environment. But some people feel they can create hurdles in the way of Kumbh Mela. I want to tell them that they will not be allowed to stop us,” Fadnavis said.

“Some people have unnecessarily started activism about this. Some people have suddenly become environmentalists. I have full respect for genuine environmentalists, but some people have become environmentalists for political reasons,” he said.

Kumbh Mela 2027, the environment, and trees are important for the government, said Fadnavis. He further stated that Prayagraj, where the Kumbh Mela was held, had earmarked 15,000 hectares of land, whereas Nashik’s Tapovan area is barely 300-350 acres.

He said that in Google Maps images of 2016, the trees are not visible because the Nashik Municipal Corporation planted them only after the state government launched a programme to plant 50 crore trees.