MUMBAI: Maharashtra government on Wednesday made it clear that the land acquisition process for the controversial Waste Coast Refinery Project proposed at Nanar in the coastal district of Ratnagiri has been stalled. This, even as people affected by the project stormed the state legislature on Wednesday.
“The government has not issued any new notice for land acquisition. After talks with Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, the entire process has been stalled,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the lower house of the state legislature after protesters shouted slogans against the proposed mega refinery project from the visitor’s gallery.
The protesters had been demanding scrapping of the project over the last few days. On Tuesday some journalists were prevented from entering the venue of the protests at Azad Maidan. The leader of opposition raised the issue in the state assembly on Wednesday.
Congress MLA Nitesh Rane also raised the issue in the House. Responding to his demand to scrap the project, Industries minister and Sena leader Subhash Desai said the land acquisition process for the project has been stalled for the last few months.
Earlier this year, Desai announced that the for the project had been scrapped. However, CM Fadnavis had indicated at the time that the project had only been shelved temporarily.
The Konkan belt, where the project is to come up, has been a Sena stronghold and the party has been opposed to it.