Fire Disrupts Eco-Project by Actor Sayaji Shinde

A fire damaged trees at actor and tree activist Sayaji Shinde's plantation in Maharashtra. No injuries were reported. The blaze was controlled in 90 minutes. The cause remains unknown. The plantation is part of a project that started in 2017 with 1.65 lakh trees planted over 40 hectares.

A fire incident has damaged trees at a plantation site belonging to actor and environmental activist, Sayaji Shinde, situated in Maharashtra's Beed district, according to officials.

The blaze erupted at approximately 9 PM on Wednesday at the 'Sahyadri Devrai' project located in Palwan village. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The Beed rural police promptly informed their control room and contacted the fire brigade. Due to a malfunctioning fire engine in Beed, assistance was requested from the Gevrai fire station to tackle the situation, officials noted. The fire was contained within 90 minutes, although the cause remains undetermined.

Initiated in August 2017, the 'Sahyadri Devrai' project aims to cultivate approximately 1.65 lakh trees across a 40-hectare expanse. Shinde, recognized for his commitment to environmental causes and also a member of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, recently voiced his opposition to removing trees in Nashik's Tapovan area for construction ahead of the 2026 Kumbh Mela.