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Photos: Alphonso farmers in Maharashtra fear impact of Nanar oil refinery

8,000 households could lose their land and exiting livelihoods to the Rs 3lakh-crore Nanar oil refinery project proposed to spread across 15,000 acres in 14 villages of Ratnagiri district and two villages of Sindhudurg district in Maharashtra a region known for alphonso mangoes. The refinery is expected to impact the supply of alphonso mangoes, as at least one lakh mango trees will be hacked to make way for it. Residents from farming and fishing communities also raise concerns over the environmental and ecological impact of the refinery and auxiliary projects.

Updated on: May 03, 2018 2:02 PM IST

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Farmers and residents have chalked roads all along the border of Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts in Maharashtra, with “The refinery will not be constructed here. We are 100% against its construction”, fearing the Nanar oil refinery may lead to a slow death of the cultivation of famous Alphonso mango, which forms the economic backbone for most families here. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

Updated on May 03, 2018 2:02 PM

Farmers and residents have chalked roads all along the border of Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts in Maharashtra, with “The refinery will not be constructed here. We are 100% against its construction”, fearing the Nanar oil refinery may lead to a slow death of the cultivation of famous Alphonso mango, which forms the economic backbone for most families here. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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Residents protest against the demolition of schools in Rameshwar village, Devgad Taluka and Sindhudurg for the construction of the oil refinery. While the Land Acquisition Bill mandates that for any public partnership project, authorities need the nod of 70% residents of the area, organisations opposing the refinery claim 92% of residents in these villages are against the project. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

Updated on May 03, 2018 2:02 PM

Residents protest against the demolition of schools in Rameshwar village, Devgad Taluka and Sindhudurg for the construction of the oil refinery. While the Land Acquisition Bill mandates that for any public partnership project, authorities need the nod of 70% residents of the area, organisations opposing the refinery claim 92% of residents in these villages are against the project. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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The Vijaydurg coastal area will be converted into a port. Cultivators claim 12.30 lakh mango trees will be razed for the refinery. The government meanwhile estimates 60,720 trees in 14 Ratnagiri villages. B Ashok, chief executive officer, Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex Limited (RRPCL), said estimates show 80% of the land is barren and 800-plus families live in the core area, adding landowners will be compensated and rehabilitated. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

Updated on May 03, 2018 2:02 PM

The Vijaydurg coastal area will be converted into a port. Cultivators claim 12.30 lakh mango trees will be razed for the refinery. The government meanwhile estimates 60,720 trees in 14 Ratnagiri villages. B Ashok, chief executive officer, Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex Limited (RRPCL), said estimates show 80% of the land is barren and 800-plus families live in the core area, adding landowners will be compensated and rehabilitated. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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Suhas Shankar Tawde, 46, a mango farmer in Rajapur Taluka is expected to lose 50 acres of mango cultivation. “The refinery will lead to a substantial decline in groundwater levels and chemical interaction with the water that reaches these mangoes for nourishment,” he said. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

Updated on May 03, 2018 2:02 PM

Suhas Shankar Tawde, 46, a mango farmer in Rajapur Taluka is expected to lose 50 acres of mango cultivation. “The refinery will lead to a substantial decline in groundwater levels and chemical interaction with the water that reaches these mangoes for nourishment,” he said. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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Prabhudesai brothers, two mango farmers in the Rajapur Taluka region will lose 60% of land under mango plantations to the proposed refinery at Nanar. One of the brothers said, “I hire 13 to 20 workers, some on a permanent basis, to run my orchard. Why would I want to work at the refinery.” (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

Updated on May 03, 2018 2:02 PM

Prabhudesai brothers, two mango farmers in the Rajapur Taluka region will lose 60% of land under mango plantations to the proposed refinery at Nanar. One of the brothers said, “I hire 13 to 20 workers, some on a permanent basis, to run my orchard. Why would I want to work at the refinery.” (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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Prahar Nandu, 52, a labourer working at a mango orchard for the past 30 years who earns a daily wage of Rs. 300, said, “I get to eat today because of the work I do. If the refinery comes, we will be unemployed and we will never be able to work in the petroleum industry. We will protest with our blood if required or else succumb to our last breath if these plantations are destroyed.” (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

Updated on May 03, 2018 2:02 PM

Prahar Nandu, 52, a labourer working at a mango orchard for the past 30 years who earns a daily wage of Rs. 300, said, “I get to eat today because of the work I do. If the refinery comes, we will be unemployed and we will never be able to work in the petroleum industry. We will protest with our blood if required or else succumb to our last breath if these plantations are destroyed.” (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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96-year-old, Sakaram Narayan Pujari stands to lose his home in Rameshwar village on the Vijaydurg creek which will be converted into a port with four large tanks constructed for the proposed refinery. At Ingalwadi village, the 850 more families claim they will get affected as eight pipelines from the refinery are likely to pass through the area. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

Updated on May 03, 2018 2:02 PM

96-year-old, Sakaram Narayan Pujari stands to lose his home in Rameshwar village on the Vijaydurg creek which will be converted into a port with four large tanks constructed for the proposed refinery. At Ingalwadi village, the 850 more families claim they will get affected as eight pipelines from the refinery are likely to pass through the area. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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Members of the fishing community at work along the Vijaydurg creek. The fishing community, too, is not too happy with the refinery. “These pipelines will cover an area of 35km. The habitat of marine life will be affected. While farmers will be compensated, we will lose everything,” said Majid Bhatkal, leader, Refinery Virodhi Shetkar Macchimar Samiti. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

Updated on May 03, 2018 2:02 PM

Members of the fishing community at work along the Vijaydurg creek. The fishing community, too, is not too happy with the refinery. “These pipelines will cover an area of 35km. The habitat of marine life will be affected. While farmers will be compensated, we will lose everything,” said Majid Bhatkal, leader, Refinery Virodhi Shetkar Macchimar Samiti. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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Kumbahadwad village near Nanar, where parts of the village fall under zones that need to be. Mango season in full swing, orchard owners are baffled at the proposition of giving up farming incomes to go work at the refinery. Also averse are the nearly 1.2 lakh Nepali workers in Ratnagiri, employed as security guards and labourers, managing the orchards. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

Updated on May 03, 2018 2:02 PM

Kumbahadwad village near Nanar, where parts of the village fall under zones that need to be. Mango season in full swing, orchard owners are baffled at the proposition of giving up farming incomes to go work at the refinery. Also averse are the nearly 1.2 lakh Nepali workers in Ratnagiri, employed as security guards and labourers, managing the orchards. (Anshuman Poyrekar / HT Photo)

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