State pushes for refinery project, expects diminishing resistance from opposition

After the Foxconn-Vedanta semiconductor project was lost to Gujarat, the Maharashtra government has decided to push for the refinery project in Ratnagiri

Mumbai After the Foxconn-Vedanta semiconductor project was lost to Gujarat, the Maharashtra government has decided to push for the refinery project in Ratnagiri.

Samant said that Shiv Sena should first decide on its stand on the project (HT PHOTO)

Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and industries minister Uday Samant have attacked Shiv Sena for opposing the refinery project proposed in Barsu-Solgaon villages in Rajapur tehsil of Ratnagiri. Fadnavis said that the country’s largest refinery project with an investment of ₹3.5 lakh crore could not be implemented because of the opposition from Shiv Sena and as a result, it has now been scaled down.

Samant said that Shiv Sena should first decide on its stand on the project. “The then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on January 12 wrote to the central government giving consent to implement the project at Barsu-Solgaon. Their MP Vinayak Raut says the party is against the project, while local party MLA Rajan Salvi has supported it. The party should decide its position first,” he said.

According to the sources from the ruling parties, the government has decided to push the project in the backdrop of the recent development. “The Shinde-Fadnavis government is determined about pushing the project at any cost. After losing the semiconductor project to the neighbouring state, I think there will not be any opposition to the refinery project now,” said a minister.

Uday Samant, industries minister, told HT that the government has got consent for more than 50% of land required for the actual refinery project. Owners and over 2,900 acres of the 5,500 acres required for the actual project were available.

“We have received consent for 2,900 acres of which 2,400 acres are for the actual project, while the remaining is for a crude oil terminal. The drone surveys have almost been completed, and we are checking the feasibility of using water from Arjuna and Vashishti. We will take the people who are opposing the project into confidence and ensure that they do not fall prey to the misleading information being spread by a few NGOs. District collectors have spoken to the villagers, I have spoken to the people opposing the project. We will begin the exercise of keeping facts before the villagers with immediate effect as we want to implement the refinery project at the earliest,” he added.

While Sena is divided, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party have taken a cautious stand. NCP leader and leader of opposition Ajit Pawar said on Saturday that the project should not be pushed through against the will of the locals. Congress’s state unit chief Nana Patole, after his recent visit to Ratnagiri, has said that the party stand will be finalised after judging both the sides and technical aspects. Both parties, according to the ruling party leaders, are willing to support if the government convinces the locals of the project.

Congress leader from Ratnagiri and former member of the legislative council Husnabano Khalife said that many gram panchayats and Nagar panchayats have already passed resolutions supporting the project. “We were opposing the refinery at Nanar, but the new location at Barsu-Solgaon would not require any relocation as the land under acquisition is completely barren land. Of the 7,000 acres required for the project, permission from the villagers for 3,900 acres have already been acquired by the government,” she said. Khalife said once the land compensation was declared, more people will come forward in support of the project.

Satyajeet Chavan of Barsu-Solgaon Panchkroshi Refinery Virodhi Samiti said, “The state government has been misleading locals over the consent to transfer of the land. Consent has been given only for 1,537 acres and not for 2,900 acres. The actual land required for the project is over 6,000 acres including the crude oil terminal. Ministers have been comparing the Foxconn-Vedanta with the refinery project without taking the resistance by locals and environmental concerns raised. It is true that the government would not try to push the project, but the locals have been opposing it tooth and nail.”