Former BJP MLA opposes Forest Minister’s plan to plant five crore saplings in Vidarbha

Shobha Fadnavis, aunt of CM Devendra Fadanvis and formerly a minister in the first Shiv Sena-BJP government in the ’90s, further said, ” Vidarbha farmers are already reeling from wildlife attacks on humans and crops. Instead of solving their problems, the forest department is forcing them to dig pits in their farm for plantation. The farmers should protest by refiling those pits with soil.”

Forest Minister Mungatiwar had recently announced a plan to plant 32 crore saplings out of which, five crore are meant to be planted in Vidarbha.

Fadnavis further suggested that plantation be undertaken on fallow land owned by the department and said that farmers should instead be given money to raise solar fencing.

She also alleged that there is no system in the forest department to keep track of the number of saplings, which actually survive.

She also demanded that the forest department should give land for stuck-up irrigation projects like Human and Tultuli.

When contacted, Fadanvis said, “I am not against plantation, but officials should be accountable for it. The department had claimed to have planted 59 crore saplings from 2008- 09 to 2012-13. But the forest cover came down from 21 to 19 per cent and now further down to 16 per cent, how could that be is my question.”

Asked why she didn’t take up the battle with the forest minister himself who belongs to her district and party both, Fadanvis said, “My target are officials, not the ministers. Minister says and does what the officials brief him. This was my experience as a minister too. And my fight against the forest department is 40 years old.”

Mungantiwar couldn’t be reached for his comment.