MUMBAI: Controversy over the Nanar Refinery erupted after Shiv Sena leader and industry minister Subhash Desai announced that the notification for the proposed oil refinery will be cancelled by the State’s industries department, which is led by him.
On Tuesday, Shiv Sena ministers including Subhash Desai submitted a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding to denotify the land, labelled as an industrial zone.
Desai said that the minister has power to cancel the notification and a letter has been given to the department secretary. “The secretary will prepare a proposal regarding the cancellation of the land acquisition notification,” said Desai after the State cabinet meeting. Fadnavis, meanwhile, stated that a decision on this will be taken after considering the interests of the State and Konkan region.
He further claimed that Desai’s statement about cancelling the notification was the minister’s personal opinion but the minister had no right to do so.
“High power committee will take the final decision in this regard,” said Fadnavis.
Ashok Chavan, President of Maharashtra Congress, said that the high power committee is always subordinate to the minister, as it falls under the cabinet ministry. “The committee has no power to overrule the minister’s decision,” said Chavan.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA from Vidarbha Ashish Deshmukh said that the refinery can be shifted to his constituency Katol in Vidarbha.
