"Won't Proceed With Refinery Project Till...": Maharashtra Minister

Maharashtra Industry Minister Uday Samant on Monday said the Eknath Shinde-led government won't forcibly go ahead with the proposed petrochemical refinery at Barsu-Solgaon villages in Konkan's Ratnagiri district without resolving misconceptions of the locals opposing the mega project.

Mr Samant, who met NCP chief Sharad Pawar at the latter's residence in Mumbai on Monday, told reporters that he had informed the former Union minister of Mr Shinde's view that the government won't forcibly go ahead with the project till misconceptions of the protesters are resolved.

“Farmers there have doubts about the refinery. I have assured Pawar on behalf of the state government that the project won't be taken forward without clearing doubts of the locals,” Mr Samant said.

“The government is ready to discuss all issues pertaining to the project,” the minister said.

There was no discussion on any issue other than the refinery during his meeting with Pawar, Samant said. State NCP chief Jayant Patil was also present during the meeting, he added.

The protest against the proposed petrochemical refinery intensified on Friday after villagers tried to enter the survey site forcibly. The police used teargas and lathicharge to disperse the crowd, injuring several villagers.

Over 200 villagers who entered the site, where soil testing for one of the biggest petrochemical refinery projects of the country is being done, were arrested and taken to Ratnagiri.

As many as 201 protesters, including 181 women and 37 men, were arrested by the Ratnagiri police and booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for assaulting public servant, rioting, unlawful assembly and molestation, among others.

Mr Samant recently alleged that the villagers are being instigated by some of the opposition parties for political gains and there are many outsiders who have entered the site to protest.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)