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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 4:59:11 pm

A Comeback Rooted in Green

Part - 8 Who: Pankaja Munde Where: Parli Vaijnath, Beed district Pankaja Munde is making a comeback — not with political fireworks or headline-grabbing confrontations, but through a quieter, more deliberate campaign to reshape Maharashtra’s environmental future. The BJP leader is steadily reclaiming her space with a green agenda that places governance, sustainability and grassroots engagement at its centre. Over the past 18 months, Munde, Maharashtra’s Environment and Climate Change Minister,...

A Comeback Rooted in Green

Part - 8 Who: Pankaja Munde Where: Parli Vaijnath, Beed district Pankaja Munde is making a comeback — not with political fireworks or headline-grabbing confrontations, but through a quieter, more deliberate campaign to reshape Maharashtra’s environmental future. The BJP leader is steadily reclaiming her space with a green agenda that places governance, sustainability and grassroots engagement at its centre. Over the past 18 months, Munde, Maharashtra’s Environment and Climate Change Minister, has pursued a series of policy initiatives and administrative reforms to address the state’s mounting ecological vulnerabilities. As extreme weather events intensify and climate risks spread across the state, she has sought to build a more systematic response through institutional restructuring, regulatory interventions and public participation. Maharashtra is among the country’s most climate-vulnerable states, having recorded 142 extreme weather events in 2024 alone. More than 94 per cent of its districts are susceptible to climate change, while the frequency of hot days has doubled, droughts and coastal cyclones have tripled, and floods have quadrupled over the past decade. Against this backdrop, Munde has adopted a methodical approach, keeping much of her focus on administrative work rather than the political controversies and media glare that marked her earlier career. At the policy level, she has established the Maharashtra State River Rejuvenation Authority to help maintain natural river flows and curb water pollution. A Carbon Market Facilitation Cell has been launched to implement the state’s carbon credit policy, while her department has collaborated with the iFOREST organisation to develop a comprehensive Just Transition Roadmap. The initiative seeks to ensure that the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources does not leave vulnerable communities behind. Munde has also restructured the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority to strengthen regulatory oversight. A special task force has been formed to promote large-scale bamboo cultivation, with a target of covering 15,738 hectares by October 2025. Clean-up initiatives across 11 beaches have improved local environments. Five beaches — Parnaka in Dahanu, Shrivardhan, Nagaon, Guhagar and Ladghar — have been selected to pursue international Blue Flag certification through Denmark’s Foundation for Environmental Education. Munde has also sought to bring environmental conservation closer to communities. A resolution was passed to develop at least one man-made Devrai (sacred grove) and Ghanvan (dense forest) in every taluka, with the aim of preserving local biodiversity. Her effort to make religious celebrations more environmentally conscious received a striking showcase at the Eco-friendly Maha Ganesh Idol Workshop in Vashi, Mumbai. More than 10,000 students simultaneously crafted Shadu clay idols, securing a Guinness World Record for the state. Complementing these measures is the statewide Paryavaran Vachva Vasundhara Sajva (Save the Environment, Adorn the Earth) campaign. Munde has personally visited religious sites to persuade traders and citizens to give up single-use plastics. Whether or not these initiatives translate into lasting ecological gains, they nonetheless signal an attempt to give Maharashtra’s environmental administration a more proactive identity.

India working on logistics of Tahawwur Rana's extradition

PTI
Feb 14, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Feb 18, 2025

Tahawwur Rana

Washington: India is working on the logistics of Tahawwur Rana's surrender and extradition from the US, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has said, as President Donald Trump announced that his administration has given the go-ahead to extradite the 26/11 terror attack accused “to face justice".

“This is an issue on which the US authorities have taken very clear decisions. I think you've seen the President announce it himself from the White House podium" the decision of the US to extradite Rana, Misri said at a press conference here on Thursday.


During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House, US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Tahawwur Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "to face justice in India”.


In response to a question by PTI on the timeframe by when Rana will be extradited to India, Misri said: "We are working on the logistics of his surrender and extradition to India. There are a few final steps to be completed. The two sides are in touch on this particular issue.”


The India-US joint statement issued during the Prime Minister's visit to the US notes that Modi and Trump reaffirmed that the global scourge of terrorism must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated from every corner of the world.

“They committed to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e Mohammad, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba in order to prevent heinous acts like the attacks in Mumbai on 26/11 and the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021," the joint statement said.


“Recognising a shared desire to bring to justice those who would harm our citizens, the US announced that the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana has been approved," it said.


The leaders further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, and Pathankot attacks and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks.

"The leaders also pledged to work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors,” the joint statement added.

Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks.

Speaking at the joint press meet, Trump said "Today I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and very evil people of the world, and having to do with the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, to face justice in India. So, he is going back to India to face justice."


The extradition of Rana was cleared by the US Supreme Court in January as it rejected his review petition in the case.


India last month said it was working with American authorities for the early extradition of Rana.


"The US Supreme Court on January 21 declined to hear a petition from the accused. We are now working with the US side on procedural issues for early extradition to India of the accused in the Mumbai terror attack," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.


In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune.

-PTI

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