Stalled Nanar refinery-petrochemicals complex; develop it on alternate site, says Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray

The proposed Rs 3 lakh crore refinery and petrochemicals complex project that has got stalled at Nanar in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district should be developed on a site where the local people are not opposed to it, state Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray said on Monday.

Thackeray made the remarks while interacting with media persons in Sindhudurg.

The 60 million metric tonnes-per annum RPC project, which was to come up in Nanar in Ratnagiri district, is stalled due to opposition from local organisations and other reasons, and the previous Devendra Fadnavis government had decided to choose an alternate site in March, 2019.

Thackeray was replying to a query on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reportedly stating on Sunday that there was hope for revival of the RPC project as the current Maharashtra government seems to be changing its mind about it.

"The issue of shifting the project is there...The project should be developed on (an alternate) site where the local people are not opposed to it, by taking the people along and after holding discussion with them. The next steps will be taken keeping in mind how the sons-of-the-soil will get justice," Thackeray said.

He said people will be taken into confidence for such projects by the state government and work will go ahead only after all issues are sorted out.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Vinayak Raut told a news channel in Sindhudurg that Union minister Pradhan may have made the comment (on project revival) to "create confusions in the minds of the people".

"The Maharashtra government is insisting on developing the project in Maharashtra itself. But the project will not be implemented in Nanar if the people are opposed to it," Raut said.