Ratnagiri project won’t proceed until protesters’ doubts are cleared, Maharashtra Minister assures NCP supremo
The Hindu
Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant informed NCP leader Sharad Pawar that the Shinde-Fadnavis government would not forcibly proceed with the Ratnagiri Refiner Project until the misconceptions of the protesters were resolved.
Barely a week after meeting Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar and briefing him on the situation at Ratnagiri’s Barsu, where villagers are protesting against the Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (RRPCL) project, Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant met the NCP leader again in Mumbai on May 1.
The multi-billion dollar project is touted as the world’s largest single location refinery complex,
Mr. Samant informed Mr. Pawar that the Shinde-Fadnavis government would not forcibly proceed with the project until the misconceptions of the protesters were resolved.
“We will move forward only after taking the protesters into confidence. We are ready to discuss all issues pertaining to the project,” Mr. Samant said. He met the NCP patriarch at his Silver Oak residence in south Mumbai, after having a discussion with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The Maharashtra government on April 25 started soil testing at Barsu to know if the site was suitable for the proposed project and since then hundreds of residents are protesting the government’s decision as they are concerned about the potential impact on the environment and the livelihoods of local communities.
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