Opposition parties on Friday raised their voices against the BJP-led governments in the state and Centre while responding to The Indian Express investigation on the revision of Adani Green Energy Limited’s hydropower project cost from Rs 5,675 crore to Rs 56.75 crore.Sharing The Indian Express report “Adani slashes Maharashtra power project cost by 99%, its forest dues plummet; Centre orders probe”, on his X handle, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh called the project cost revision a “scandal of gigantic proportions”.In his post on X, Ramesh restated the Congress party’s demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into Adani Group’s operations. “A project which was sanctioned last year for Rs 5,675 crore is now stated in an affidavit to have a cost of Rs 56.75 crore. It is a 99% reduction!!! This is unbelievable…. It points to a scandal of gigantic proportions reinforcing the demand for a JPC into its operations,” he posted.On September 8, Adani Green Energy submitted a notarised affidavit to the Maharashtra forest department requesting the cost of its Tarali Pump Storage Project in Satara district be considered Rs 56.75 crore, despite a February 11, 2025, Union Environment Ministry clearance letter listing it at Rs 5,675 crore.Because the project lies in the eco-sensitive zone of Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, part of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR), as per norms, the State Board for Wildlife mandated depositing 4% of the project cost for conservation. Consequently, on March 24, 2026, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) M Srinivas Reddy asked the company to give Rs 227 crore to STR.However, on October 12, 2026, Reddy told the company that the revised project cost of Rs 56.75 crore has been accepted, further asking it to immediately deposit 1% (Rs 56.75 lakh) and pay the remaining 3% (Rs 1.7075 crore) upon National Board for Wildlife approval. The company subsequently deposited Rs 56.75 lakh to STR’s bank account, lowering its total conservation fund from Rs 227 crore to Rs 2.27 crore.Vijay Wadettiwar, Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra, in his X post, asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis whether the government is purposefully ignoring this matter?Story continues below this adWadettiwar further stated the chief minister will have to answer to the public. “When the Central government’s environmental clearance explicitly stated the project cost as Rs 5,675 crore, who permitted the company to alter this cost (to Rs 56.75 crore), and on what basis was that permission granted? Who exactly is behind reducing the Rs 227 crore earmarked for wildlife conservation down to a mere Rs 2.27 crore?”Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aditya Thackeray posted The Indian Express report on his X account, saying, “They loot our State, Plunder our forests, Don’t even want to pay the dues… Why shouldn’t Maharashtra rise up against this loot? Why should Maharashtra allow this plunder? In any case, Pump Storage projects are destroying the Sahyadris! The chief minister must reject this. Bring in Battery Storage projects!”Responding to a complaint by Rohan Bhate, Honorary Wildlife Warden, Satara district, registered on October 30 with the PMO grievance portal, alleging “incorrect cost of the project”, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) had asked the PCCF Maharashtra on November 6 to investigate the matter on priority.Bhate said, “It is the PCCF who communicated to the Adani Green Energy accepting the revised project cost to Rs 56.75 crore. So I have today forwarded an email to MoEF&CC that an authority whose own administrative decisions and actions are the subject matter of an investigation should not be entrusted with the task of conducting the inquiry. I have requested that an independent higher authority be appointed to conduct an impartial inquiry.”Story continues below this adBhate had also filed a complaint to the Maharashtra chief minister through state government’s Aaple Sarkar grievance redressal portal, following which, the Deputy Director, Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, has been directed on November 5, to inquire into it and take further action as per rules.When contacted, Sanjay Khandare, Additional Chief Secretary of Forest Department, said he would be taking a review of this matter.