After taking charge as Maharashtra Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray has proven that he is a man on mission. After withdrawing all cases filed against protestors opposing the proposed Rs 3 trillion Nanar oil refinery and petrochemicals complex with Saudi Arabian collaboration in Ratnagiri. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will decide the fate of Rs 1 lakh crore Jaitapur nuclear power project in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district.
The Shiv Sena had earlier to opposed to it citing adverse impact on environment, human lives and agriculture. The 9900 MW project by French company Areva saw large-scale protests by anti-nuclear activists and the residents of Jaitapur, a coastal village in Ratnagiri. The Shiv Sena joined in and demanded that the project be shifted out of Jaitapur.
The project - a joint venture of Saudi Aramco, and Indian's IOCL, BPCL and HPCL, plus other global investors - envisaged the world's biggest petrochemicals complex spread over 15,000 acres of land. This would affect 14 villages in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, and seriously impact the livelihood of around 25,000 farmers and some 5,000 fisherfolk.
The Shiv Sena - now in alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party and Congress - had repeatedly warned the BJP that it would not permit any forcible land acquisition and demanded that the project be shifted to Gujarat or anywhere else.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government will also review off budget borrowings of Rs 2 lakh crore taken by its undertakings on infra and development projects. Uddhav Thackeray-led team will also look at the present status of these projects.
(Inputs from Sanjay Jog)