Refinery supporters ready to fight till the end

Land givers are coming up / Demand March on 20 at Ratnagiri 

In spite of government decision to relocate the proposed ‘Nanar’ refinery, the number of its supporters is rapidly growing. The huge project with enormous employment potential must be erected at the first proposed site, stated Mr. Keshav Bhat and Mr. Avinash Mahajan, spokespersons of ‘KonkanVikas Samiti (KVS)’ before the Press in Mumbai. The KVS is a large group of supporters of the project. Mr. Bhat and Mr. mahajan were accompanied by a group of eminent citizens of Ratnagiri town. They expressed their resolute preparedness to strive until they get complete success to bring back the project to Nanar. As a part of this positive agitation a Demand March to District Collector of Ratnagiri is organized by KVS. It will start at 11 am on 20 July from Maruti Mandir, the CBD of Ratnagiri town.

            Ratnagiri  Refinery and Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (RRPCL), a three billion grand project was proposed to be erected in the creek side area in south west of Ratnagiri district. RRPCL is formed by four Indian petroleum factories in public sector, with the collaboration of Saudi ARAMCO, one of the largest rifineries in the world. The project has enormous employment potential that could entirely transform the present picture of Konkan economy which is mostly based on fishing, mango and labourship in metropolitan cities out of Konkan.  It can fetch job opportunities to almost one hundred thousand (One lakh) persons during the erection process and not less than 50 thousand when in full functioning. Despite this, a lot of urban amenities, good schools, training institutes, hospitals and research centers would take place; and local products like Alphanso mango and fish will get market at the door of the producers, as well as a vast field for traders and service providers.

            Many proposed projects have been expelled from this land in the past under the pretext of environment conservation; neither the environment was properly protected nor the industries could grow. Only the slogans of converting Konkan into California echoed. But the mindset of local people is now changed and they are coming up to express their positive will to support such projects. The causes forwarded by so called agitators have no grounds and people are realizing the advantageous potential conceived by the proposed refinery.

            The spokespersons addressed to the reporters that owners of more than 7500 acres of land have come up to respond the acquisition. The picture of protest was created by those who had no connection to the Konkan land. Those who led the agitators were not losing even one square inch of their land. But regretfully the atmosphere was painted with hostile colours; and the people already prepared to give their land were threatened of boycott and public humiliation like ‘Spit March’.  The meetings to agitate the people were organized in temples where it was difficult to resist and move against the peasantry. It was the reason why the supporters could not raise to express themselves. Even the State appointed Sukhtankar Committee was bent to stall their work.

They told that it was unfortunate that despite the supporters had already approached Honourable Chief Minister Mr. Devendra Phadanvis, their voice was unnoticed. But now the people would not withdraw, they will have the project erected in their region and walk on the way to regional prosperity, Mr. Mahajan reiterated.     

The people are the ultimate losers!

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!

He Has Resumed Attempts For Public Cause

A looser of political polls hides oneself for long. However he did not wait to settle the dust,

continued his visits to his native region, Konkan, which itself was the ground of his Lok Sabha battle. 

Ad. Sanjay Gangnaik, a Socialist Forward Block Lok Sabha candidate, recently made two Konkan tours. He has now become more familiar to the problems of this narrow paradise land. The Lok Sabha candidate who received response from all sections of the Ratnagiri Sindhudurg constituency has initiated to push forward his struggle for public cause.

Ad. Gangnaik has been already fighting for comfortable journey of Mumbai metropolitan suburban rail commuters. May it be an extension of this work in the Konkan region. Ad. Gangnaik has demanded an urgent infrastructure to double the Konkan Railway track as rapidly as the progress of the bullet train project. He seeks merger of the Konkan Railway into Indian Railway for rendering better service to the people of Konkan. 

During his Konkan visit in the last week the discussed with a few people to learn more about their grievances. "Mumbai Goa Kochi road, a major national highway  is undergoing four track widening. The work is progressing very slowly," Mr. Gangnaik said, pointing many aspects of public safety and environment. He forwarded that concreting on many places is incomplete, heaps of soil for reclamation at several sections suddenly come ahead while driving and the vehicles are thrown out of control. Drivers often face unavoidable shocks and jumps due to uneven road surface, and there is no sign of finishing of this work before monsoon. Ad. Gangnaik has demanded immediate erection of the road, with due care taken to protect road users from possible sliding of soil from the elevated tracks. 

He specially attempts to pull attention of the administration to heavy tree slaughter for the highway widening work. Already 55 thousand plus trees have been cut and the portion of the land is deserted. Ad. Gangnaik has earnestly appealed to the constructing agencies for  tree plantation five times more than the trees cut to restore inborn natural beautiful of the coastal land stripe of western Maharashtra. 

Ad. Gangnaik also noted the problem of frequent failure of mobile and internet service that badly hits the e-banking and ATM facilities. He said on one hand the government is calling for enhanced cashless transactions and on the practical front the people suffer thanks to collapsed network. Many ATM booths in the region are not working properly. Sometimes there is no power, sometimes there are no currency notes, and for the remaining period there is no network, how the people would carry on? He asked. He added that if the banks tax fine for exceeding the number of attempts to withdraw money from the ATM, why should the banks not be fined for inconvenience of the citizens.

Ad. Gangnaik is also pursuing for early completion of Talamba (Kudal) and Shirshing (Sawantwadi) irrigation project to satisfy people suffering from utter water scarcity. The bridge connecting Dande Ansure village to Jaitapur should be repaired at the earliest and to restart the ST and heavy transport that has stalled for last three years.

Ad. Gangnaik has keenly drew attention to a severe problem regarding land ownership and concerned disputes. There are many cases in which the land on paper is not in actual possession of the owner due to wrongful acquisition by another person. He appealed the administration to eliminate such cases at the earliest and to punish the wrong doers.     

An Election Candidate Who Promises On A Bond Paper…..!

It was really amazing. He submitted his candidature form on the very last day, along with an affidavit typed on a one hundred rupees stamp paper presented its copy before media and said that he would be subjected to legal action if he fails to keep his words after winning the election!

Who was he?

What was typed on the paper?

His name is Mr. Sanjay Sharad Gang-Naik, a Lok Sabha candidate from Ratnagiri –Sindhudurg constituency. He is contesting as a candidate of Socialist Forward Block. Like other candidates he too is giving some promises to the electorates, claiming how he would serve the people stating before them a list of what he has done before, and making appeal to vote for him. What is surprising that he has put his agenda in the form of an affidavit, which if proven false the person making it may have to face a legal action.

Mr. Gang-Naik, a lawyer by profession has his roots in Sindhudurg district. He has shaped his career crossing numerous obstacles of hostile circumstances. He is State General Secretary of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and an active organizer of railway commuters.

Through the declaration of his programme Mr. Gang-Naik has promised to the people of Konkan to fetch regional development by means of government schemes, to visit every sub division (taluka) at least once in a month and presenting regular audit of the expenses made out of the fund he would obtain for the constituency.

Mr. Gang-Naik is set upon for efforts for double track of Konkan Railway. He wants to make available plenty of career and employment opportunities through environment friendly industry.

Although Mr. Gang-Naik’s agenda is not a dreaming document; and perhaps less lucrative, what is novel is its declaration with a promissory note. It is rather the first and only case of its kind in the entire history of Indian public election. He believes his honest announcement would attract the voters and he would obtain opportunity to serve his constituency.    

Let’s Bring Back The Frozen Project!

Mr. Uday Lodh, President, State Petroleum Dealers Association expressing his views

             May it be too late; may it be days after the fair; but they gathered under one roof. They protested the protest and talked much to bring it back. Their voice may have a little sound, but their solemn resolution had the ability to reach the goal crossing the walls of the auditorium. They were the supporters of the frozen refinery project that was to be erected near the west coast of Maharashtra, in the rural circuit of Nanar in Ratnagiri district.  

             A meeting of the supporters of Ratnagiri Refinery and Petroleum Corporation Ltd (RRPCL) was organized at Ambar Hall at Ratnagiri, on last Saturday. A power point presentation focusing on the development potential of RRPCL was made by Mr. Keshav Bhat, retd deputy engineer, MIDC. Following it Mr. Avinash Mahajan addressed to reveal the modus operandi of the protesters and stated how pointless were the issues raised by them. A few speakers stated their views and urged that the people of Konkan must become optimistic.

             Mr. Bhat systematically stated the outline of the structure of the factory. He explained how the project would help creation of a large magnitude of employment opportunity, growth of allied industry and regional economic development. Mr. Bhat said, “A refinery requires close sea shore, desert table land and easy accessibility to a port. The venue selected was fulfilling these. This largely invested factory had a potential to promote at least 150 to 200 thousand jobs in infrastructure development and around 80 to 100 thousand jobs after erection. Despite this it will help growth of allied industry, construction business, hotel and IT sector; as well as auxiliary and health services in the surrounding region.” Mr. Bhat also told that the huge industry would bring quality educational and skill training facility; and promote establishment of research and technological development centers.     

            RRPCL was proposed with a claim of as huge as INR 30 thousand billion of investment; and could fetch to the state a GDP growth of 10% and 1.5% to the country. It could produce petroleum fuel complying BS VI standard of which 80 t0 90 per cent was to be carried through pipeline to reduce transportation cost and risk of danger. The factory could produce zero effluent and a system to monitor ambient air quality of the surrounding area was to be deployed. The Konkan people have lost grand socio economic development opportunity, the meeting concluded. The speakers and audience deeply regretted for wrong political pressure and sightless agitation.

Sanskrit Is The Identity Of Indian People

Sanskrit is the language of the universe, it is the language of cosmic atmosphere, said Baldevanand Sagar, famous Sanskrit news reader of All India Radio (AIR) during his visit to Ratnagiri. Sagar has been invited by Gogate Jogalekar College, Ratnagiri as Guest of Honour for Mahakavi Kalidas Series Of Lectures. The lectures will be delivered on 1 nd 2 March. On the eve of the series he had an informal interaction with journalists and media persons in Ratnagiri when he spoke about the linguistic power and comprehensiveness of Sanskrit. "Sanskrit is the bedrock of our culture, it is our very identity,” said Mr. Sagar.     Read more

(In photo : Mr. Baldevanand Sagar, photo : Makarand Patwardhan)

Will Konkan Leaders Strive To Drag Funds?

     Konkan never gets center place in State budget. This year is not an exception. The budget stated by Finance Minister Sudheer Mungantiwar has not directly granted any scheme for the development of the narrow belt of Konkan. However, if they think about, the political leaders of this land can drag a lot from several funds declared by the minister.

        Although Konkan is famous for substantial rain, water scarcity is increasingly tightening its clutches. Last monsoon was not satisfactory and several villages have been enlisted as to be drought shaded. They must get aids. The farm pond scheme is useless for Konkan as the land is already divided in small pieces. Especially the size of ponds is needed to be reduced. The minister proposed a provision to support farmers does not include mango cultivators. They have not yet received arrears of compensation promised long back.
     The Konkan farmer cannot enjoy loan waiving as he does not lend for cultivation. He cannot enjoy special subsidy as he does not own required land to comply the norms. He cannot even drag attention and sympathy as he does not commit suicide. Finally he remains as he was. The local public servants have to strive more than they do for protesting a project to come this region.

    The provision proposed by Finance Minister for PM Jan Arogya Scheme are worth welcome, but the problem of the Konkan belt is that the public health centers do not have adequate staff. On one hand the posts of medical officers are vacant and on the other hand appointed medical officers do not join or leave soon.  

    We welcome substantial provision made for road construction and communication projects and hope the rural roads will be well repaired and newly built wherever necessary. However the government claims of completion of 12,984 km of national highways, why did the four laning work of the only national highway of Konkan, the Mumbai Goa Kochi Road walk heavily? They would blame on public protest that prolonged the settlement of compensation and affected land acquisition; then what happened that let the construction of dual bridges stalled for years?

    The minister made specific mention of four railway lines in Marathwada and North Maharashtra. Two more lines to connect Konkan to the rest of the state are also awaiting funds. Perhaps they will be more helpful for the concept of dry ports than those mentioned by the minister.

     We thank the minister for including the name of Ratnagiri, a major district town in the konkan region as well as of Sindhudurg for speedier work of airports. Considering the threat of terrorist activities the most priority to this work is essential.

    The minister should have spoken about ports and harbours. Voyage on ship is now simply a past for Konkan. Don’t be nostalgic. But fisheries, a major sector of Konkan economy is badly in need of proper infrastructure of fishing jetties and cold storages. In the national budget the Finance Minister of the country had stated an idea to establish a separate fisheries department which was warmly welcomed by the people of Konkan. The idea does not seem to be reflected in the State budget.

   Therefore it comes to the regional leadership to keenly study and divert sufficient monetary aids to Konkan. Otherwise the narrow paradise land belt will continue to live with the want of development and its people poverty stricken.