Maharashtra Industries Minister Subhash Desai told the Legislative Assembly that he has asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to announce the states stand on the Nanar refinery project in Ratnagiri district.
Local people are opposed to the Rs 1.45 lakh crore project. Desais own party, Shiv Sena, has backed the locals.
Desai said nine Gram Panchayats in the area have passed resolutions opposing the proposed project, and people from 14 villages are opposing the process of survey for land acquisition, making the acquisition difficult.
On February 15, Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had met the chief minister with a delegation of local people.
“I have written to the chief minister, asking him to clarify the states position,” Desai told the House.
Under the land acquisition act of 2013, it is difficult to acquire land against the will of owners, the minister said.
Fadnavis had assured the delegation led by Thackeray that he would speak to all stakeholders and the project will not be imposed on locals if their opposition continued, Desai said.
“As a result, the memorandum of understanding for the refinery (with a consortium of public sector oil companies) could not be signed during the Magnetic Maharashtra (investor) conclave. Against this backdrop, I have written to the chief minister, saying that the state’s decision on the refinery should be announced, taking into consideration the strong opposition from locals and the Gram Panchayats,” the Sena minister said.
