Those opposing Nanar refinery were backing it earlier: Jathar

Former BJP legislator from Kankavli Pramod Jathar today alleged that the Shiv Sena, which is opposing the oil refinery project at Nanar in Ratnagiri district, had supported it earlier.

While the BJP-led government is pushing the project, Sena, BJP's alliance partner, is opposing it on the grounds of threat to local ecology and unwillingness of local people to give up their lands.

Former Congress leader Narayan Rane, who hails from the Konkan region, has also opposed the project.

Jathar said that both the Sena as well as Rajya Sabha MP Rane's Maharashtra Swabhimani Paksha (MSP) are BJP's allies.

"Either Rane and the Sena should convince the government that the project is bad for local economy, or they should get convinced themselves about the (benefits of) project," he said.

Sena leaders earlier favoured the projects, he said.

Jathar also alleged that people who invested in land in the vicinity of Nanar after the project was announced were proxies of some builders from Mumbai who are close to a political party.

Local people had formed a coordination committee to negotiate a compensation package for land on their terms, he said.

The refinery will create thousands of jobs, he said.