{
  "id": 16893832,
  "title": "‘New Power Project In Maharashtra Meant To Benefit Industrialist, Not Development,’ Says Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal | VIDEO",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/new-power-project-in-maharashtra-meant-to-benefit-industrialist-not",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T11:30:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/new-power-project-in-maharashtra-meant-to-benefit-industrialist-not-development-says-congress-president-harshwardhan-sapkal-video"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mumbai, October 28, 2026: Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal has raised concerns over the Torrent Power project in Raigad district, alleging that it is meant to benefit an industrialist rather than promote development and would cause extensive environmental damage. Sapkal, speaking to reporters, said that the Congress is not against development, but opposes destruction in its name. The proposed 3,000-MW project is set to be built near the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary in Karjat, Raigad, and tree felling for the project has sparked outrage among environmental activists and opposition leaders. Torrent Power has dismissed environmental concerns, stating that the project is located approximately 16 km away from the sanctuary and that all its components fall outside the sanctuary and its eco-sensitive zone. However, Sapkal pointed out that the Maharashtra government had previously pledged to plant 33 crore trees, and questioned where these trees were planted, if at all. He also criticized the government's announcement of planting lakhs of trees in the Sahyadri region, calling it questionable. Sapkal emphasized the need to conserve forests and promote sustainable development, alleging that trees are being felled to benefit a private company and describing the chief minister's assurances as misleading. He also criticized the Vadhavan port project and the Shaktipeeth Expressway, alleging that they undermine the rights of local residents and are imposed despite a lack of public demand. Sapkal, who will visit Karjat on Thursday to inspect tree felling near the Bhimashankar sanctuary, demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the Pradeep Purnekar murder case in Thane, accusing the ruling dispensation of attempting to protect the accused.",
  "summary": "Mumbai, October 28, 2026: Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Wednesday alleged that the Torrent Power project in Raigad district would cause extensive environmental damage and was intended to benefit an industrialist rather than promote development. Opposing the felling of trees for the project, Sapkal told reporters here that the Congress was not against development but would…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}