Uddhav ups ante against Nanar project

Mumbai: A day before the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah meets Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai, the Sena has upped the ante against the Nanar green refinery project at Rajapur, which is a priority for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sena ministers on Tuesday met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and demanded that the project be cancelled to avoid a Tuticorin-like incident where local police last month opened fire at people protesting the Sterlite project, leading to casualties.

Sena leader and industries minister Subhash Desai on April 23 had declared that the Nanar land acquisition notification stood cancelled in the presence of Mr Thackeray. Soon after Mr Desai’s announcement however, Mr Fadnavis clarified that the former could not take a decision as powers were vested in the committee of the chief secretary. Notwithstanding, Mr Desai directed the additional chief secretary, Sunil Porwal, to start the process of issuing notification for cancellation of land acquisition for the Nanar project. On his part, Mr Porwal sent the proposal to the Mr Fadnavis, who kept it on hold.

After awaiting the CM’s decision on the matter for over a month, Sena ministers met Mr Fadnavis a day before Mr Shah’s meeting with Mr Thackeray, and submitted the letter for cancellation of the project. As Nanar residents are opposing land acquisition for the project and to avoid a Tuticorin-like incident, Mr Fadnavis should cancel the project, the Sena demanded. A senior Sena minister revealed that the chief minister assured Sena ministers that he would take a decision very soon.