Maharashtra: CM Eknath Shinde assures Sharad Pawar of taking locals in confidence over Barsu refinery project

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday said that he had a conversation with former CM Sharad Pawar and assured him that the Barsu refinery project will be carried out only after taking the local residents into confidenceNotably the residents of Barsu village in Ratnagiri have been protesting against the setting up of the refinerySpeaking to the reporters Shinde said I had a phone conversation with Sharad Pawar yesterday about Barsu Refinery Pawar said that Industry Minister should take the concerned officials and people into confidence I told him that no project will be done by force and injustice to the peopleNagpur Mumbai Samrudhi Highway was also opposed by the people but we are seeing the results there These decisions will be taken by taking farmers into confidence he addedAlso read People must be taken into confidence Uddhav Thackeray on Barsu refinery planThis comes after NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said that the Maharashtra government should hold a dialogue with the local villagers who are opposing the projectEarlier on Tuesday Shinde had slammed Uddhav Thackeray and the Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA for opposing the Barsu Refinery project in Ratnagiri districtSpeaking to reporters at Mahabaleshwar in his native Satara district CM Shinde backed the Barsu green refinery project and questioned the MVAs sudden opposition to itCiting a letter written by his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to set up the refinery in the region in the interest of development the CM said new employment avenues would open up for locals as the project would bring investments worth thousands of croresShinde said It was then CM Uddhav Thackeray who gave the green signal to the project after the Nanar project was cancelled He even wrote to PM Modi seeking implementation of the Barsu Refinery projectAfter all this it is difficult to understand why the Barsu is being opposed now Its a matter of research he saidThe CM added that the Samruddhi Mahamarg project was continued despite the Oppositions resistance initiallyIt has since become a gamechanger for the state he saidSlamming the Opposition over its double standards in running down projects meant at benefitting the state the CM said This is opposition just for the sake of it The soil testing for the project is being done currently with the consent of 6070 per cent of localsShinde assured that the project would start only after assessing the soil testing report as it will determine if the land is suitable for a project of this natureHe added Not a brick will be laid without the consent of localsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever