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.
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