RRPL project only with locals' nod, says Maha Minister; protestors unimpressed

Mumbai, May 1 Maharashtra Education Minister Uday Samant on Monday reiterated that the proposed Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd project with Arab help will not go ahead without the consent of the local population.

Samant called on Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, state chief Jayant Patil and senior leader Dr. Jitendra Awhad under directions from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

"Yesterday, (April 30), representatives of the locals who are agitating against the RRPL met Pawar, and later CM Shinde also held discussions with him... I conveyed a clear message that the project will not be taken up without the cooperation of the local people," declared Samant.

However, one of the anti-RRPL activists, Sachin Chavan pointed out that already half a dozen villages in the affected region have passed resolutions that they don't want this project in that area.

"When the people of Barsu and other villages are strongly opposed to the project, then why is the government conducting the soil testing survey?" Chavan demanded, warning that if the testing work doesn't stop, the agitation will be revived.

The planned Rs 3 lakh crore project with collaboration from Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi got mired in a fresh controversy with an agitation launched from April 24, which resulted in police caning and teargas shelling on the protestors last weekend.

The protestors later suspended the agitation for three days setting certain preconditions and seeking assurances from the state government on their apprehensions.

Samant said that presently only the soil-testing work has been taken up after which the RRPL promoters will decide whether the site in Barsu is suited for the mega-project or not.