Pune, Oct 27 NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Tuesday said that he was not opposed to the pumped storage project of Torrent in Karjat, but the Maharashtra government should explore the possibility of shifting it elsewhere.
Local residents had complained that the project was being brought to the area without consulting them, he said.
Environmental activists and Opposition leaders are up in arms against the felling of trees for the 3,000-MW project slated to come up near the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Rohit Pawar, meanwhile, also referred to nine months passing since the death of Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar in an air crash.
Rohit, who has been seeking criminal investigation into his uncle’s death, said he had postponed an important presentation related to the late leader. He had planned to name some people in the presentation, he said.
The NCP (SP) MLA also questioned the state government’s promise of providing Rs 5,000 to drought-hit farmers ahead of Diwali. The amount was insufficient to celebrate the festival, he said, demanding Rs 1 lakh per hectare for farmers and Rs 25,000 for agricultural labourers.
“If the government cannot provide substantial assistance, it should not rub salt into farmers’ wounds by giving them Rs 5,000,” he said.
He also alleged that coercive recovery by microfinance companies was putting financial pressure on farmers and women’s self-help groups. He said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman should take measures to regulate the recovery practices of these companies.
He had requested the Maharashtra Chief Secretary to arrange a meeting with the RBI to address the issue, he said.
The law and order situation in Maharashtra, especially in Baramati, had deteriorated, and incidents of robbery, extortion and drug-related crime were being reported in the town, Pawar claimed.
A few girls told him recently that they were afraid of stepping out after 7 pm, he said.
Complaints of extortion against some junior police and revenue officials had come to his notice, Pawar said.
On Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ remarks on the Opposition’s objections about the functioning of the Election Commission, Pawar said the Commission should respond to the evidence submitted against it.
The chief minister should rather answer questions concerning assistance to farmers and the law and order situation in the state, he added.
Pawar also demanded the withdrawal of security provided to Rana Suryavanshi in connection with an alleged attack in Baramati.
(PTI News)
