22 January,2026 09:10 PM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
Aaditya Thackeray said some members of state wildlife board had raised objections but were overruled by the chair. FILE PIC
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has urged Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav, to intervene and stop mining projects recently approved by Maharashtra's State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) in tiger corridors linked to the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve.
In a letter written on Thursday, Thackeray described the SBWL's decision in the first week of January as "absolutely disastrous". The approvals concern mining activities in Lohardongari near the Ghodazari Wildlife Sanctuary and Marki-Mangli in the Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve corridor.
Recalling his earlier position, Thackeray wrote, "Back in 2020, as Minister for Environment and Climate Change (Maharashtra), I had denied permission to Marki Mangli in the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve corridor."
He emphasised the severe ecological impact, stating: "These projects are detrimental to both the forests they are located in as well as the wildlife that inhabits these forests." The leader requested the Union Minister to prioritise conservation, arguing that the potential environmental damage far outweighs any limited revenue benefits. He added that some SBWL members had raised objections to the projects but were overruled by the chair.
Thackeray urged the Minister to reconsider the approvals at the National Board for Wildlife level, adding: "The future of our forests and fauna is now in your hands... I am certain that if you do indeed reject these projects it will cement your legacy as a major force for conservation."
The letter, shared on social media by Thackeray, underscores ongoing tensions in Maharashtra between industrial development and wildlife conservation in ecologically sensitive areas.
