Javadekar meets Maha CM, dicsusses environment, forest issues

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Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar Friday held discussions with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other officials on environment and forest-related issues in the state.

Speaking to reporters, Javadekar said he would be holding such discussions with chief ministers of all states over the next one month to review projects and find a solution to environment concerns raised about them.

The minister praised efforts of the Maharashtra government for maintaining development and ecological balance.

"In the last five years, we have undertaken and cleared several pro-people, pro-progress projects (in Maharashtra) such as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Memorial, Nhava- Sheva bridge, coastal road (in Mumbai), relaxing CRZ norms, Mumbai Goa road which was pending for 20 years," he claimed.

Javadekar added that his ministry had also put in place provisions under which cutting of mangroves (for any project) will require compensatory creation of mangroves on an area ten times the affected size.

Javadekar said the Union and state government had worked in tandem to clear several projects that were stalled between 2004-2014 under the Congress-led UPA rule.

"I have decided to review long-pending projects, including ecologically sensitive ones, that need immediate attention," he said, adding that the aim was to ensure rapid progress while protecting the environment.