Barsu refinery: Probe into land deals at Ratnagiri, says Industries Minister Uday Samant

Mumbai: A probe has been launched into alleged ownership of land by government officers at Barsu in Ratnagiri, industries minister Uday Samant said on Saturday during the Barsu refinery project review meeting. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Vinayak Raut had levelled the allegations.

Samant said a one-member committee under the district collector has been formed to probe the allegations that government officers have bought land in the area. The probe will be conducted within two days, the minister said.

Deepak Kesarkar: Need to ascertain the identity of protesters at Barsu

Samant, who is also guardian minister of Ratnagiri, said that he has already transferred to Mumbai headquarters an MSEDCL official who is suspected of having purchased four acres at Barsu.

As some of the activists couldn’t attend the review meeting due to prohibitory orders, it was decided to have a similar meeting in Mumbai on May 2-3.

If needed, government officials will make a presentation about the progress on the project before Uddhav Thackeray. 

Meanwhile, Maharashtra education minister Deepak Kesarkar, who hails from the Konkan region, has expressed a need to ascertain the identity of protesters at Barsu while expressing doubts that most of them were outsiders. “Their scarves should be removed and checked whether they are real local farmers,” he said.

Senior NCP leader and the Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Ajit Pawar also said that his party is not opposed to the project but environmental concerns need to be addressed.