It could be a bitter end to a sweet, juicy story. Maharashtra is planning mega power plants in Ratnagiri district, a horticulture zone known for its finest Alphonso mangoes, which are exported to Japan and Singapore. This year, farmers in the region exported the famous fruit to Europe for the first time. But they are not sure of the future of the business; they fear emissions from the plants could harm mango plantation.

What is at stake is more than the mango plantations.Two thermal power plants of a combined capacity of about 2,800 mw coming up in Ratnagiri have also raised the hackles of fisherfolk