As local residents vented their anger against the mega project, which they fear will adversely affect the fragile biodiversity of the coastal Konkan region and also hit their livelihood, the Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) came out in their support and demanded an immediate end to atrocities against protesters
Representational Pic. iStock
More than 30 women were detained by the police after they protested by lying on the road to stop government vehicles from entering the proposed site of a giant refinery at Barsu village in Maharashtra's coastal Ratnagiri district on Tuesday, an official said.
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As local residents vented their anger against the mega project, which they fear will adversely affect the fragile biodiversity of the coastal Konkan region and also hit their livelihood, the Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) came out in their support and demanded an immediate end to atrocities against protesters.
A government team was scheduled to conduct a survey at the site in Barsu and Solgaon areas of Rajapur, around 400km from Mumbai, on Monday, but locals started staging protests, the official said.
Local people in the coastal district have been protesting against the soil survey work for the multi-billion dollar refinery project.
Several women participated in the protest on Tuesday morning, during which they lay on the ground to prevent vehicles of the district administration and police from entering the area, he said.
Considering the law and order situation, hundreds of police personnel were deployed at the project site, the official said.
Ratnagiri Superintendent of Police Dhananjay Kulkarni and other senior police officials were at the spot to avoid any untoward incident, he said.
More than 30 women protesters were detained and taken to a police station in Ratnagiri, he said, adding no case has been registered so far.
Also Read: Ajit Pawar calls for sensitive handling of protests against Ratnagiri project
Opposition leader Ajit Pawar of the NCP had earlier in the day demanded that protests by locals against the refinery project be handled sensitively and urged that the state government stop the survey work till a peaceful solution was found.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut demanded an immediate end to atrocities against locals in Barsu and asserted the party will not sit quietly on the issue and back the people.
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged the protesters at Barsu were being pressurised by Industries Minister Uday Samant with the help of police.
This is a government with a perverse mentality. They want a Jallianwala Bagh-like massacre. We are with people and the Shiv Sena (UBT) will not sit quiet, Raut said.
He said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde thinks he is a messiah of the poor, but has left on a three-day "leave" in a helicopter, a reference to the CM going to his hometown in Satara district.
Shinde should instead take the helicopter to Barsu and meet the protesters there, said the Rajya Sabha member.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said, The government should stop atrocities on people and also the soil survey.
The former state environment minister said the government should start a dialogue with the agitating local residents.
The previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had put some conditions before giving a nod to the project which included taking the locals into confidence and explaining the details of the venture and its benefits, Thackeray said.
He said while the anti-refinery protests have intensified, CM Shinde is on 'leave', a reference to his Satara visit.
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