On the morning of Dussehra, residents of Pali village in Karjat taluka heard the sound of chainsaws coming from the forest. When they went to investigate, they found the forest department carrying out a tree felling operation for a proposed 3,000-MW pumped storage hydropower project.

The operation came as a shock to residents of Pali and four neighbouring villages, who say they had not been informed that trees in the forest they depend on would be cut. The proposed project requires 377 hectares of land, including 233 hectares belonging to the forest department and 144 hectares spread across Dhak, Pali, Potal, Ambot and Bhaliwadi. A total of 32,400 trees are to be felled.

The project, estimated to cost Rs 13,505 crore, is being developed by Gujarat-based Torrent Power. The tree felling has triggered protests by villagers, with political leaders, environmentalists and students visiting the site over the past week.…