Amid political promises & potential projects, Ratnagiri’s youth migrate in search of better prospects, while region’s elderly are left behind in hamlets without vikas and cellphone towers.
Mahayuti candidate Narayan Rane asserted he would heed the people’s will. An alliance leader, however, said they were deliberately refraining from talking about the refinery to avoid any upsets in the election.
Proposed Barsu refinery is latest of many projects in industrially backward Ratnagiri district, part of Konkan region, to face protests with heavy political undercurrents.
Shiv Sena wants to shift Rs 3 lakh crore Ratnagiri refinery project to Barsu-Dhopeshwar after getting it scrapped in Nanar. But, ‘environment’ and ‘sons of soil’ are issues here too.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company intends to store 5.86 million barrels of crude at the Ratnagiri refinery. India is targeting support from both Saudi Aramco and Adnoc for the $44 billion Ratnagiri project.
Standing up to America is usually not a personal risk for a leader in India. Any suggestions of foreign pressure unites India behind who they see as leading them in that fight.
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