‘Talk to locals instead of using force’: Sharad Pawar tells minister after Barsu refinery protests

After a meeting with Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant on Wednesday morning, Sharad Pawar said, “He told me that the government was not acquiring any land as of now. It was only soil testing. I had told him to stop the testing till talks are held with locals who are opposing. I was told that it has been stopped. I haven’t personally checked”.

Pawar said Samant told him the government did not use any force on the local residents. Despite these claims, around 111 residents were arrested by the police for obstructing government vehicles which had gone for soil testing.

Local environmental activists and villagers of Barsu and Solgaon have been protesting against the refinery project.(Express Photo)

“It is important to understand the reasons behind opposition to the project. Our position is to hold talks with locals and find a way out. Only then the issue can be settled,” said Pawar adding that the industries minister told him that a meeting between the government and the villagers will be held on Thursday.

The state’s Opposition parties have asked the state government to stop the soil survey process for the proposed oil refinery at Barsu-Solgaon. They have also alleged that the government had been misusing the police machinery to threaten villagers and activists who have been protesting against the project.

The Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL) promoted by the three major public sector oil companies—Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd—was originally planned to be set up in the Nanar village of Ratnagiri district.

The Shiv Sena had opposed the project citing local opposition and after party president Uddhav Thackeray became the chief minister, he announced it will not be constructed at Nanar. After that, the location was finalised in the Barsu-Solgaon area. Residents of the area have opposed the project citing possible environmental damage due to the project.