Till date some people of
Konkan have deep hopes that it will come back.
When on the eve of the Lok
Sabha elections the Chief Minister declared that the refinery to be erected at
Nanar, near Rajapur would be shifted to Rohe in Raigad district, a number of
people thought that it was but to attempt to satisfy the coalition party.
Now there are a few people
who are convincing themselves that after the oncoming State elections are over
the project would be brought back to Nanar.
There are other persons who
have realized that the huge project is finally gone out and they see no chances
for its return.
Yet there is a large group
of the sons of this soil that is dreaming for the refinery, not only that they
are earnestly striving to convince the government that no longer there is any
protest against the factory nor a refusal to respond land acquisition; and ask
if the government would resolve to erect the plant at Nanar.
Apart from all hoax and rumours
it is an unfortunate fact that RRPCL is not going to stay at Nanar. Rohe is
already prepared with the requirements for a refinery and public protest is not
a tradition there. The Konkan Railway track is doubled and electrified
recently. Rohe also includes in the Mumbai Delhi Industrial Corridor project
and skilled workforce is readily available. Why should an investor prefer Nanar
to Rohe if all including building roads and training people is to be initiated
from ABC?
There was lot of discussion about
RRPCL (Ratnagiri Refinery and Petroleum Corporation Ltd). A large group of
peasants was agitating to cancel it. The elected representatives of the region,
perhaps with the only hope of public support through ballot, backed the people.
This time unlike they had done in case of the protest to Jaitapur atomic plant.
The leaders did not directly step in for agitation. They appeared before the
people saying that they would live with the people. When shifting of the
project was declared the same leaders told that all it depended on the public
will. If the people demand for the project they would accept it, said the
leadership; but it was the fact that the voice of the project supporters was
always suppressed. Had the leaders an earnest respect to the public will they
would have allowed the Sukhtankar Committee to carry on their work.
Now the same leaders are
saying that they would not let any such project to wind up against a noutanki
(drama) of somebody. If it is so will they admit that RRPCL was cancelled to
entertain somebody’s noutanki?
Talking about so called
demerits is easy than to convince for the bright side.
What has happened is that
the people lost a golden opportunity of mass employment potential, great
infrastructural development and overall progress of the region.
What has happened that the
leaders have again raised to power.
The people are the ultimate
losers!
