A seven-member delegation from Ratnagiri, where an integrated refinery and petrochemicals complex has been proposed to come up, will meet Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday to seek his support in their struggle against the project.
Protests against the Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL) intensified after the Bharatiya Janata Party- led central government on April 11 singed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the State-owned Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and Saudi Aramco to jointly develop and build RRPCL.
Three days ago, Industries Minister Subhash Desai of the Shiv Sena announced that he would cancel the notification issued last year to convert land for the project into an industrial zone. However, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Mr. Desai had no power to cancel the notification.
Opposition ire
The Opposition also has been criticising the State government for its ‘double standards’ and ridiculing the Sena over the BJP’s refusal to listen to them. The residents of Ratnagiri decided to present their case before Mr. Gandhi after their interaction with Congress State unit chief Ashok Chavan.
Satyajit Chavan, convener, Konkan Refinery Virodhi Sangharsh Sanghatana, said, “This is one of the biggest projects pushed by the government despite resistance from the locals. We want this project cancelled at any cost. We do not mind meeting any powerful political leader who can extend support to our struggle.”
Five years ago, residents from Ratnagiri protested against the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (JNPP), which was proposed by the then Congress-led Central government. Mr. Chavan said, “Our aim is to ensure that the oil refinery project is cancelled. The position taken on the JNPP stands even today. But our present priority is oil refinery project.”
