Land at Barsu village in Ratnagiri for refinery project suggested by Uddhav when he was Maha CM: minister

Nashik: Maharashtra Industries Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant on Tuesday said the Barsu village site for a proposed refinery project in Ratnagiri district was suggested by then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray who had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Samant's statement comes amid protests by local people in the coastal district against the soil survey work for the multi-billion dollar refinery project.

“On January 12, 2022, then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting that the state government can make available 1,300 acres of land and another 2,144 acres of land in Natya (area) for the refinery. He suggested the Barsu site for the project," Samant told a press conference in Nashik.

He claimed Thackeray's letter also mentioned that there are no settlements and trees on 90 per cent of this land and therefore, there is no need to displace any tree or house.

"The letter also claimed the refinery project will not cause any environmental damage. The project will strengthen the economic condition of the state and the state GDP will increase by 8.5 per cent. It will also reduce the import duty on the petrochemical products and therefore the project should be established at Barsu,” Samant said quoting the letter.

When asked about protests, the industries minister said farmers would not be pressured (for land). He claimed out of 5,000 acres of land needed for the refinery project, people owning 2,900 acres of land have already given their consent letters.

He said the refinery project is being opposed now only because Eknath Shinde is the chief minister of the state.

“I don't know why this letter was written and with whom discussions were held. Had Uddhav Thackeray been the CM, the project would have progressed till now," Samant said.

Earlier in the day, Opposition leader Ajit Pawar demanded that protests by locals against the refinery project be handled sensitively and that the state government stop the survey work till a peaceful solution is found. He had said that protesters were arrested.