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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Thackerays’ ‘Taandav’ for trees, tigers

AI generated image Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray launched a sharp attack on the government for the systematic degradation of the state’s environment under the garb of development, even as the climate change poses a direct threat to the environment, economy, agriculture, public health and the future of both rural and urban centres. Questioning the state government’s claims of having planted millions of trees, he rued how the World Environment Day has been...

Thackerays’ ‘Taandav’ for trees, tigers

AI generated image Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray launched a sharp attack on the government for the systematic degradation of the state’s environment under the garb of development, even as the climate change poses a direct threat to the environment, economy, agriculture, public health and the future of both rural and urban centres. Questioning the state government’s claims of having planted millions of trees, he rued how the World Environment Day has been reduced to an annual ritual of tree-planting drives and clicking selfies for social media, though 90 pc of the saplings don’t survive even a day. “Only the government knows where those trees really are,” said Raj sternly. He recalled a "Blueprint of Maharashtra’s Development" he had proposed in 2015, in which he advocated how development without environmental sensitivity is hollow. Justifying, he said that the consequences are visible where roads, bridges and infrastructure projects are hailed as achievements, but even a short spell of rainfall can paralyze entire cities. Referring to recent reports on farmers returning from the fields after 10 am due to the scorching heat, Raj said that the worsening climate crisis has become an everyday reality. Citing official statistics, Raj claimed that extreme heat has caused productivity losses of nearly USD 159 billion and slashing of 160 billion work-hours annually in recent years. He mentioned the World Bank estimates that India’s GDP could plummet by 2.5-4.5 pc while 57 pc of the country’s districts sheltering 76 pc of the population stare at serious climate-related crises. Taking a swipe, he said while the governments boast about growth figures and economical rankings, they are silent on the staggering costs of environmental destruction. He questioned the development model “whether flooded cities, washed-away crops and unbearable summers” genuinely indicate progress. Claiming that Maharashtra was increasingly becoming unliveable for upto 8 months in a year, he said excessive monsoon rains disrupt rural life and urban floods cripple cities, while extreme heat make normal life a torture in summers in both urban-rural areas. Targeting the Centre, Raj alleged that nearly 173,984 hectares of forest lands were diverted in the past 11 years for mining and infrastructure projects to benefit the PM’s single favourite Adani Group. He said that these lands amount to 1,730 sqkm, or equivalent to the area of 16 Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) that is spread over barely 104 sqkm. Dissolve state wildlife board: Aaditya Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray has accused the Maharashtra government for issuing a permit to carry out mining activity in the sensitive tiger corridor between the Tadoba-Andhari and Indravati sanctuaries housing the big striped cats. In a strongly-worded letter to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Member-Secretary Sanjay Kumar, Thackeray sought his immediate personal intervention, sacking the Maharashtra State Board for Wild-Life (SBWL), revoking the permit, and probe against the Chief Wildlife Warden & Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) M. Srinivasa Reddy for the alleged lacunae. Aditya’s two-pager says the permit has been granted for “scientific exploration and excavation/systematic recovery of low-grade iron ore in existing mines in villages Hedri, Bande, Parsalgondi and Round Parsalgondi, in the Etapalli taluka of Gadchiroli district”. Last January, Aditya – MLA from Worli – had first raised the issue saying that the proposed mine would create only 120 jobs, including 32 permanent, and the estimated output is pegged at 1.1 million tons in a year. Referring to two letters of Reddy – on April 28 and May 21 – the SS (UBT) leader claimed that in communications to the state government, the PCCF had changed his stance on the issue. Aditya said that in the first letter, Reddy had effectively opposed the government plans for mining activity but in the second letter, he took a somersault, ostensibly due to government pressures or some commercial interests, “the U-turn is disgraceful and detrimental to India’s national interest” – and this abrupt shift in stance must be investigated thoroughly. In view of the contrary stance of the PCCF Reddy, entrusted with protecting the wildlife but failing to defend the NTCA and NBWL, point to serious malfunctioning of the SBWL, and hence it must be dissolved, besides reviewing all its decisions in the past three years, particularly those pertaining to hazardous activities in sensitive areas, demanded Aditya. 444 tigers roam in 11,000 sq.km As per the Status of Tiger Report (2002), and the Maharashtra Economic Survey 2025-2026, the state boasts of 444 tigers prowling in the wild along with other menacing creatures. The state’s total protected wildlife network of 88 Notified Areas of National Parks, Sanctuaries, and Conservation Reserves - including 6 dedicated to the striped big cats – is spread over 11,092 sq. kms as per current data.

Iran war sets fuel on fire in India

Mumbai: Barely a week into the escalating war in the Middle East, India is already staring at the spectre of a serious fuel crisis - marked by supply anxieties, sudden policy jolts and steep price hikes that could ignite a fresh wave of inflation across the economy.


Industry bodies and consumers alike were rattled on Friday as a series of back-to-back directives from the country’s oil ecosystem triggered panic in the markets.


In a span of barely 24 hours, consumers got three major shocks. Firstly, an order suggesting priority to domestic LPG supplies, leaving commercial LGP users to fend for themselves. Secondly, a big blow in the form of a directive that petrol-diesel retailers must make advance payments to procure their daily fuel supplies from Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).


As these sunk in, the LPG prices were sharply increased for both household and commercial consumers.


The cascade of decisions by the three state-run OMCs - Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) - reportedly invoking the Essential Commodities Act - sent tremors across the fuel retail sector.


However, after mounting concerns and frantic consultations, two of the controversial measures were put on hold, offering partial relief to the industry, said top players.


LPG Supply

The All India Petroleum Dealers Association (AIPDA) spokesperson Ali Daruwala said the Centre clarified late on Friday that commercial LPG supplies have not been stopped, easing fears among hotels, restaurants, industries and other bulk consumers.


“However, the government has today sharply increased LPG prices, which will hit users badly. The more worrying move was the directive mandating advance payments by fuel stations to the OMCs for their supplies. That would have destroyed many dealers, especially those outside major urban centres,” Daruwala said.


A second relief followed soon after. The Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers (CIPD) President Uday Lodh said the OMCs have withdrawn the advance payment diktat and restored the existing EOD (End-of-Day) settlement system.


“I raised the matter strongly with HPCL Executive Director (Retail) Debashish Basak, emphasising how such abrupt change in payment rules would be extremely difficult for dealers to comply with. I also made it clear that if advance payments are ever required, the OMCs must announce a proper transition schedule well in advance. They have agreed,” a relieved Lodh said.


Severe Impact

Industry representatives stressed that the fallout of this could have been severe, particularly for smaller dealers. India has around 90,000 fuel stations, of which barely 11 percent - roughly 10,000 outlets - are located in major urban centres.

 

Urban fuel pumps typically order at least one tanker daily of petrol and/or diesel - about 20-kiloLitres, depending on sales volumes. In contrast, fuel stations in rural and remote areas often lift barely one tanker a week, given their modest demand.

For such operators, the sudden requirement of advance payments could have triggered a severe cash-flow crisis and potentially disrupted fuel supplies in large parts of the country, stranding millions of vehicles.


LPG prices up, raise a stink

The bigger blow for 33.20 crore consumers came in the form of a sharp increase in LPG prices, effective Saturday, said Lodh and Daruwala - a move with far-reaching economic consequences.


The price of commercial LPG cylinders (19 kg) has been raised by Rs 115, while domestic LPG cylinders (14.2 kg) have been increased by Rs 60.


In Mumbai, commercial LPG prices have surged from Rs 1,720.50 to Rs 1,835.00, while domestic LPG cylinders now cost Rs 912.50, up from Rs 852.50.


The only marginal consolation is that Mumbai still remains the cheapest among the four metros.


Angry consumers exploded on social media, warning that the hike could fuel inflation, trigger cascading price increases in essential goods and services, and wreak havoc on already strained household budgets.


No Impact on petrol

Sources ruled out any immediate increase in petrol and diesel price as three fuel marketing companies - Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) with bumper profits in earlier this year - had enough financial muscle to absorb such impact.


Retail petrol and diesel prices have been on a freeze since April 2022, with fuel retailers absorbing losses when crude prices are high and making profits when rates are low.

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