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Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
How a quiet green deal between farmers and conservationists is saving Maharashtra's Western Ghats
Community participation and innovation can be key to protecting biodiversity. On World Environment Day , a look at how two friends from Pune found a way to conserve privately owned forests in Maharashtra by inking agreements with farmers. Five years ago, Rakshabai Ratate, a resident of Mandangad tehsil in Ratnagiri, finally managed to rebuild her dilapidated house, a project that had become long overdue because she could never seem to save up for it. The 78-year-old was able to finally undertake the project after she received some money in exchange for agreeing to protect her small patch of forested land in the foothills of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra's Konkan belt. Ratate was keeping her side of a bargain she struck with Pune-based duo of Archana Godbole and Jayant Sarnaik, in which she agreed to not let anyone — including herself — chop down any tree in her private forest, promising to conserve the rich natural resources contained within. Like Ratate, hundreds of owners of private forested land in this part of the country have made — and kept — similar promises for years, building not only a special bond with Godbole and Sarnaik, but also with the land itself. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Najnowszy szwajcarski aparat słuchowy – innowacja i dyskrecja GEERS Undo Godbole, a plant taxonomist, and Sarnaik, a conservationist, are close friends from Pune who united for a dream: to protect the country's green cover. In 1995, they founded the NGO Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF) to make their vision come true. For the last three decades, they have been working to conserve biodiversity with community participation and collaboration — from the people who own the land. Today, their dream — which started with 100 acres of protected forest as they launched the 'Conservation Agreement' movement in 2007-2008 — safeguards 13,000 acres of private forest land in the northern Western Ghats. Their journey began with a simple, though radical, idea: pay farmers and tribal landowners slightly more than what they would get from selling forest timber, in exchange for preserving their forests. Their mission, when it started out 17 years ago, seemed an impossible one. But the green cover continues to grow, one agreement at a time — thanks to the foundation's community-based conservation model. And it all begins with a vow to protect and preserve. Green promises to keep TOI travelled with a team from AERF to Harihareshwar and Mandangad on the Konkan coast. The scale of this grassroots effort soon became apparent. An agreement signing takes just a few minutes — with a handshake and a signature — but what leads up to that moment is weeks, sometimes months, of groundwork. Godbole, Sarnaik and their team of field coordinators identify private forest land at risk of degradation, mostly in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. After a series of awareness meetings, which includes patient persuasion, the landowners — often poor farmers or members of tribal communities — sign a five-year legal conservation agreement. They are assured that their land will remain their own, while they are paid small, periodic instalments over the duration of the agreement. In return, the forests stay untouched. 'In the beginning, it was difficult to raise money,' Godbole says. 'But we had generous friends who supported our cause. Later, we even started an online campaign — 'Sponsor A Forest' — and crowdfunded enough resources to pay farmers. It worked very well.' But it wasn't just about raising funds. Winning villagers' trust was the bigger challenge. 'Members of tribal communities and farmers do not have lucrative means, so they think of the forests as banks,' says Sarnaik. 'They used to remove the forests to sell it to a logging contractor and earn a short-term income. That was affecting biodiversity.' AERF field coordinators make multiple visits to villages, explaining why forests matter, why biodiversity needs to be protected and, most importantly, why signing a legal agreement wouldn't take their land away. 'It was extremely challenging, and still is,' says Sarnaik. 'But the only difference now is that we understand the sentiment of the forest owners and know how to convince them. These agreements help protect biodiversity-rich forests on privately owned land and give tangible economic benefits to poor farmers.' Bhausaheb Ratambe, a farmer from Mandangad who owns 2.5 acres of land dotted with indigenous trees, says many like him have realised that they can earn a livelihood from the trees without cutting them down. 'Earlier, contractors would arrive and chop down the trees, pay us and leave. We took the money and used that to run our households, not realising that we'd lost the trees forever. Now, we know the importance of conservation. We still earn from the forests through its fruits, their medicinal uses and get the right direction from AERF volunteers. More and more people from our community are taking this up and reaping the benefits,' he says. A question of trust Akshay Gawade, a field coordinator in Mandangad, says, 'The people that we work with for saving forests are actually marginal farmers who have limited options for earning sustainable incomes. In the past, they used to go to the forest, collect a few things and sell them. Or they practised shifting cultivation and grew traditional crops by chopping down their own forests." 'However, when these farmers migrated, the practice stopped and, as a result, secondary forests started growing. Now, over the last 30 to 40 years, these forests have become very healthy. The forests still remain private and we have about 1.2 million hectares under private ownership in Maharashtra's Sahyadri mountains.' When Gawade started working in Mandangad block, it was quite difficult for him to win the locals' confidence and get them to sign the agreement. Their team took almost a year to earn the community's trust. The coordinators used to go to the landowners and hold several discussions with them until they obtained the required permissions. 'We did not sign any agreement for one year in one of the villages. But we did not give up. Once they were convinced that we were going to do something better for their village, there was no looking back. Within a year, in 2024, we signed agreements for around 600 acres of private mangrove area and terrestrial forest,' Gawade adds. Power of legal cover With its dense canopy, rare flora and endemic wildlife, the northern Western Ghats are breathtaking. But forests on private lands in India have no legal protection. They are vulnerable to logging, slash-and-burn agriculture, and sale to real-estate developers. Godbole and Sarnaik knew that waiting for policy changes would take decades, by when much of the forest would be gone. So, they created a legal framework, backed by community consensus, trust, and modest payments that could offset the economic pressure to sell or exploit the land. 'Conservation agreements help us secure the commitment of local communities for ensuring long-term conservation,' Sarnaik says. 'These agreements help us achieve outcomes and provide a window of opportunity to develop sustainable models for managing biodiversity.' At the core of their success is a 'conservation-on-the-ground' approach — a three-pillar strategy that combines scientific research, community awareness and real-time action. With a strong grassroots reporting mechanism and a team of dedicated local coordinators, AERF ensures monitoring and support doesn't end with a signed agreement. ' From helping farmers plant native species to discouraging harmful landuse practices, we work closely with communities to create a culture of conservation — not as charity or sacrifice, but as empowerment,' says field coordinator Omkar Pai of Alibaug. 'A truly sustainable world is not possible in a biodiversity-poor environment,' Godbole says. 'Conservation issues are complex, but solutions can be found through consistent implementation and community innovation. Longterm effort is the only way.'
Indian Express
30-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Adhere to revised timetable: Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik tells consortium supplying e-buses to MSRTC
In a surprising turn of events, Maharashtra Transport Minister and MSRTC Chairman Pratap Sarnaik, who had earlier announced the cancellation of the Rs 10,000-crore electric bus contract with Olectra Greentech and Evey Trans Pvt Ltd, Friday asked the consortium to adhere to a revised supply timetable instead. At a meeting held with company representatives at the Mantralaya, Sarnaik reviewed the progress of the delayed e-bus deliveries and directed that the supply of the remaining electric buses be carried out as per the new timeline. 'The buses must be delivered according to the revised agreement to ensure passengers receive the facilities promised,' Sarnaik said, striking a conciliatory tone in contrast to his earlier hardline stance. In July 2023, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) had awarded the wet lease contract for 5,150 electric buses to Olectra and Evey Trans (Under wet leasing, the lessor provides both the vehicle and the crew). The project was seen as a key step in the state transport body's fleet modernisation drive. However, persistent delays in delivery led to MSRTC issuing seven show-cause notices and imposing penalties worth around Rs 4 crore. In a media briefing after the meeting, Sarnaik confirmed that of the 5,150 buses, just 220 have been delivered so far. These include both 12-metre and 9-metre variants. Despite the poor supply record, the minister did not reiterate his previous announcement regarding the termination of the contract. Instead, he floated the possibility of seeking viability gap funding (VGF) from the state government to offset the high per-kilometre losses being incurred by MSRTC while running these electric buses. According to officials, MSRTC faces a loss of Rs 12 per kilometre for the 12-metre buses and Rs 16 per kilometre for the 9-metre variants, which could add up to Rs 3,191 crore over the next few years. So far, the transport body has paid Rs 60 crore to the supplier company from revenue generated through electric bus operations, and another Rs 40 crore is in the pipeline. 'The completion of this contract depends on whether the state government agrees to bear the operational losses,' Sarnaik said, adding that he would soon hold a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar to take a final decision. The change in stance has surprised observers, especially given the consortium's poor track record not only with MSRTC but also with Mumbai's BEST undertaking, where similar delays have been reported. While no fresh deadline has been publicly disclosed, Sarnaik's softened approach signals that the government may be willing to work around the delays – provided financial backing is secured and deliveries are ramped up.
News18
27-05-2025
- Business
- News18
Olectra Greentech Shares Tank 14% After Maharashtra Government Cancels Major E-Bus Order
Last Updated: Olectra Greentech Shares: Shares of Olectra Greentech Ltd fell as much as 14% to an intraday low of Rs 1,160 in Tuesday morning trade Representative Picture Olectra Greentech Share Price: Shares of Olectra Greentech Ltd fell as much as 14 per cent to an intraday low of Rs 1,160 in Tuesday morning trade, May 27, following Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik's call to cancel the company's electric bus order over missed delivery deadlines. In a post on social media platform X, Sarnaik stated that the company had failed to deliver a single bus out of the 1,000 units scheduled for handover by May 22. While he did not mention Olectra Greentech by name, Sarnaik said officials were instructed to cancel the tender for 5,150 buses due to the supplier's lack of action, casting doubt on the project's viability. The order, awarded in July 2023 to a consortium of Olectra and Evey Trans Pvt Ltd, is valued at nearly Rs 10,000 crore over a 12-year contract. Under the agreement, Evey was responsible for procuring buses from Olectra and supplying them to the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) over 24 months, while Olectra would handle fleet maintenance. The minister's comments followed a review meeting on Monday evening at the MSRTC headquarters, where he noted the company had made no progress despite being given a revised delivery timeline. Olectra Greentech has yet to issue an official response regarding the potential cancellation. This development comes shortly after the company reported strong Q4 financial results. Olectra's revenue grew 58 percent year-on-year, net profit doubled, EBITDA increased 70 per cent, and margins improved by 100 basis points. The company plans to hold an analyst call on Wednesday, May 28, at 4:30 PM to discuss the results. At around 9:30 am, Olectra shares traded at Rs 1,266, down 6 per cent from the previous close. Despite a 13 per cent gain over the past month, the stock is still down 9.2 per cent year-to-date. First Published: May 27, 2025, 11:17 IST
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Olectra Greentech shares tank 13% as Maha gov reportedly cancels big e-bus order
Shares of Olectra Greentech nosedived nearly 13% to an intraday low of Rs 1,180 on the BSE on Tuesday, reportedly due to the cancellation of a big order from the Maharashtra government over the delivery of electric buses. Maharashtra's Transport Minister, Pratap Sarnaik, posted on the social media platform X that the contract for electric buses in Bhandetali should be scrapped due to procedural lapses, though he did not name the company involved. While Sarnaik refrained from naming the firm, the market reaction pointed clearly at Olectra Greentech, which, along with its consortium partner Evey Trans Private Limited (EVEY), had previously received a Letter of Intent (LOI) from the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. 'The decision has been taken to cancel the tender awarded to the company operating 150 electric buses in Bhandetali due to serious discrepancies. A fresh tender will be issued soon,' Sarnaik wrote in a post on X. The LOI, received by the company earlier in 2023, pertained to the supply, operation, and maintenance of 5,150 electric buses, along with allied electrical and civil infrastructure, under a Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model. Live Events According to the company's exchange filing at that time, the total order value stood at approximately Rs 10,000 crore, nearly equal to Olectra's market capitalization at the time of announcement. Also read: IndiGo shares slip 3% as co-founder Rakesh Gangwal likely offloads Rs 11,988 crore stake via block deal EVEY was expected to procure these buses from Olectra, with deliveries spread across 24 months. Maintenance responsibilities were also assigned to Olectra for the duration of the contract. Olectra Greentech share price performance Over the past one year, the stock has declined by 30.21%. On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, it is down 15.06%, while the six-month return shows a drop of 19.67%. In contrast, the stock has gained 12.16% over the last three months and 4.60% in the past one month, indicating a short-term recovery amid long-term weakness.
Mint
27-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Olectra Greentech share price slumps as Maharashtra Minister cancels E-Bus tender
Olectra Greentech share price dropped by more than 12% during Tuesday's trading session after Maharashtra's Transport Minister, Pratap Sarnaik, instructed officials to annul the tender granted to the company due to its failure to adhere to delivery schedules. Sarnaik stated on his social media account on "X," without specifically mentioning Olectra, that the company had been inactive regarding the supply of 5,150 leased buses and that he has instructed officials to take steps to terminate the agreement. This decision was made on Monday evening following a meeting at the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) headquarters, as per reports. The minister also mentioned that a new timeline was provided to Olectra for delivering 1,000 buses by May 22, but the company failed to deliver even one bus, which raises concerns about the company's ability to fulfill future deliveries. "As a result, the decision was made to terminate the tender agreement with the company," the minister stated on "X." Nonetheless, it's important to highlight that Olectra Greentech has yet to release any official statements regarding the cancellation of the order. As per a report by PTI, EveyTrans Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Olectra Greentech, was contracted in May 2022 to deliver 2,100 electric buses to the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) using a wet lease model over the course of a year. The company representative informed PTI that to date, 536 buses have been supplied to BEST. In the wet lease model, private companies not only provide drivers to run the buses but also take responsibility for their upkeep, which means BEST does not have to buy the buses outright. Notably, even though Olectra Greentech has not met the required delivery targets, it received another contract in April 2024 for the supply of an additional 2,400 electric buses, as per PTI report. Olectra Greentech share price today opened at ₹ 1,234.95 apiece on the BSE, the stock touched an intraday high of ₹ 1,288, and an intraday low of ₹ 1,180 per share. Anshul Jain, Head of Research at Lakshmishree Investments said that Olectra Greentech share price is forming a bullish 40-day cup and handle pattern with a breakout pivot at 1,312. The recent knee-jerk reaction was well-supported at 1,253, erasing negative sentiment and reaffirming bullish strength. With the base structure intact and momentum returning, a move past 1,315 looks likely. The stock is expected to test 1,518, which aligns with the weekly swing high and the pattern's breakout target, offering a strong risk-reward setup. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
