Overview
- Activists led by Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti held a collective protest at Tapovan on Tuesday featuring readings, songs and awareness drives against any felling.
- The previous day’s meeting between environmental groups and the Nashik Municipal Corporation ended without resolution, with campaigners alleging poor transparency and vowing to continue their agitation.
- NMC maintains some trees may be removed to create a temporary Sadhugram for the Simhastha Kumbh, earlier estimating around 1,800, while Commissioner Manisha Khatri told another outlet the total could be closer to 500 pending verification.
- Khatri said a tree survey is done but the garden department’s assessment is pending, pledged to protect old tree cover, and said exact figures will be submitted to the Tree Authority, with a joint survey planned with activists.
- Officials have stated no trees would be cut for a proposed exhibition centre, and a senior minister has indicated the larger MICE plan is on hold, even as the 2016 body decision on land use remains the administrative basis.