Sayaji Shinde slams Maharashtra government for tree cutting in Nashik’s Tapovan ahead of Kumbh Mela

Actor Sayaji Shinde strongly condemns the Maharashtra government’s plan to cut trees in Tapovan, Nashik, for Sadhugram development for the Kumbh Mela, vowing public resistance

Nashik | November 21,2025: Actor and environmental activist Sayaji Shinde has sharply criticized the Maharashtra government’s proposal to slash about 1,700 trees in the Tapovan area of Nashik for the expansion of the Sadhugram during the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela. In a public statement, Shinde called the move “deeply regrettable” and questioned the morality of cutting down trees under the guise of religious development. He warned that people are ready to protest: “We will not allow even one tree to be felled. To save one tree, 100 people will stand.”

He also slammed the government’s compensation strategy  planting ten saplings for each tree cut  calling it superficial and inadequate.

“You keep talking about planting ten saplings, but what about the ecological value of the old trees?” he asked, stressing that replanting can never fully replace mature trees.Shinde accused the government of suppressing dissent: “When people raise their voice, they try to silence them. Do we live in a democracy, or is it becoming authoritarian?”

He urged Nashik citizens and environmentalists to unite and defend the city’s green heritage. “This isn’t just about development. This is about protecting nature,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has faced growing backlash. Activists have filed more than 125 objections to the tree-cutting plan, according to public records. Civic officials have defended their proposal, saying only younger trees (less than 10 years old) will be removed, and for each tree felled, matching saplings will be planted.

The dispute raises larger questions about balancing environmental conservation with infrastructure development for the high-profile Kumbh event.

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