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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.

Uneven Greatness

India has done it again. Before more than 85,000 spectators at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the national side overwhelmed New Zealand by 96 runs to claim a third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title and becoming the first side to win the tournament thrice.


The cricketing world quickly joined the chorus of celebration. India piled up a staggering 255 for five before dismissing the Kiwis for 159, a margin that underlined their dominance in the shortest format. Opener Sanju Samson, continuing a remarkable run of form, struck another blistering innings, earning the Player of the Tournament award. Meanwhile, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah delivered a devastating spell of 4 for 15 on what was otherwise a batting paradise, securing Player of the Match honours.


Praise flowed freely from former England captains Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen, who hailed India’s white-ball dominance, to past and present Indian greats including Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar. Even across the border, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar credited India’s success to deep structural strength and long-term planning.


India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, looked beyond the trophy cabinet. With cricket set to feature at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, he suggested that India would now aim for Olympic gold alongside yet another T20 World Cup crown.


All this praise is deserved. India has become the undisputed powerhouse of white-ball cricket. Its batting depth is formidable, its bowling attack versatile, and its bench strength enviable.


Yet celebration should not erase recent embarrassments in the Test format. Barely two years ago, India endured one of its most humiliating episodes in its cricketing history when New Zealand had inflicted a stunning 3-0 Test series whitewash on India at home. It was the first time a visiting side had swept a three-Test series in India in more than 90 years. For a team that once treated home conditions as an impregnable fortress, the defeat was startling.


The following season brought further setbacks against the South Africa national cricket team, underlining the uncomfortable truth that India’s dominance in T20 cricket has not translated into similar authority in longer formats.


While T20 cricket rewards audacity and improvisation, Test cricket demands patience, discipline and endurance. India has mastered the first art spectacularly. The second, once its proudest strength, now appears more fragile.


This matters because India is not just another cricketing nation chasing trophies. It is the game’s financial and cultural centre of gravity. When India excels only in the shortest format, the message being sent out is that spectacle matters more than substance.


The country’s greatest cricketing memories - from epic Test victories abroad to grinding home dominance - were forged over five days rather than twenty overs.


None of this should diminish the present triumph. But glory can also breed complacency. For all the fireworks in Ahmedabad, Indian cricket would do well to remember that T20 titles merely bring gallery applause. True greatness demands something longer.

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