Speak up Mumbai: Should Nanar get an oil refinery, petro complex?

Villagers in and around the site of the proposed refinery and petrochemical complex in Nanar, Ratnagiri are up in arms against the project.

The Shiv Sena has crossed swords with its ruling ally BJP against the project, citing opposition from the locals and the refinery's environmental impact on Konkan region in the Western Ghats which is known to be a global biodiversity hotspot. Other parties like MNS and Narayan Rane's Swabhimaan Paksha also don't favour it.

On April 11, a consortium of Indian oil PSUs, IOCL, BPCL and HPCL, and Saudi Aramco signed an MoU to jointly develop and build the integrated complex as Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd. (RRPCL). Saudi Aramco may seek to include a strategic partner for the project, which will involve a total investment of Rs 3 lakh crore.

The refinery is slated to have a capacity to process 1.2 million barrels of crude oil a day, or 60 million metric tonne per annum (MMTPA), and produce products like petrol and diesel. It will also provide feedstock for the integrated petrochemicals complex, which will be capable of producing around 18 MMTPA of petro products.

VOICES

The oil refinery project should be shifted to some  other place as it will impact the locals as well as the environment of the proposed site in Konkan region. With lakhs of mango trees needing to be hacked and residents having to be displaced, it would be better to shift the project. At a time when environmental protection is of paramount importance across the world,  how can a refinery be proposed at this site?
—Suhail Ansari, Pydhonie resident 

Nanar oil refinery should not come up in Ratnagiri  as refineries cause smog and air pollution. They also emit about 100 chemicals and other effluents every day. These include metals like lead which affect children’s learning abilities. They also include very small dust particles called PM10, that get deep into our lungs and harm our ability to breathe. 
—Irfan Machiwala, Mahim Resident

Having a development project is a good thing. We need to think of the future. But the environment is also important. The people affected are never going to like it because they are losing their land. But then when there's development, some have to part with their land, and they will be given adequate compensation. So people shouldn't be complaining so much. We need development to compete with Western countries.
—Shreyas Katkar, Dharavi

Problem is, the refinery will help the state but people are going to be affected by the project. These project-affected people should be compensated in time without them having to struggle to get it. They should receive the payout nefore the project starts. Mangoes from the area are world famous and the sad part of the project is that they can be damaged. The government should look to providing compensatory land nearby to farmers so they can grow the same quality mangoes without suffering losses.
—Nikhil Desai, Matunga

Yes, the refinery should come up as development is the key to economic growth. Some sacrifices are needed for this development, and the government should make sure that the affected people are dealt with proper care. Their sacrifice should be offset with better employment and educational opportunities. In my view the local people should be deployed in the refinery so they have a fix source of income.
—Adarsh Kumar, Goregaon

Development should take place but not at the cost of livelihoods. The government cannot rob villagers of their land by setting up a refinery at Nanar. If the regime has decided to go ahead with the project, they need to duly compensate the villagers and farmers there. Also, the government should have a proper strategy in place and take the villagers and farmers in confidence before going ahead with such a massive project. One way to compensate them is to give local villagers jobs in the refinery.
—Robin Sharma, Kalbadevi resident

Why isn't the government setting up the refinery in the existing industrial zone? The instance of setting up plants and refineries in rural areas is increasing in the state. What would villagers do if their land is converted into an industrial zone? While it is good that the government is thinking of setting up a refinery, they should also think about the well-being of villagers and the environment.
—Shyamal Kiran, Ghatkopar

Considering the beauty of the Konkan region, the government should try and develop it from the tourism point of view. Unfortunately the state is busy getting new proposals that will only destroy the sensitive ecological balance of the place. Already, the administration has set in motion the Jaitapur nuclear power plant project. This refinery will only add to the destruction and affect the means of living of the local communities.
—Simit Bhagat, Vashi

EXPERT SPEAK

We must think of it at two levels. One, Konkan is one of the few bio-diversity hotspots. This should be maintained. Gram sabhas have decided against the refinery, as they know the impact of other projects on the local ecology. On the macro level, it's accepted that global warming has become irreversible. We can be saved if we bring down carbon emissions. If this is to be done, the refinery should not come up. Planning must be eco-centric and not top-down.
—Girish Raut, Environmentalist

The Konkan coastline has 17 polluting projects including power plants. This has affected fishing, horticulture and crops like mango, cashew and areca nut. People here may not be rich but are content. The proposed Jaitapur nuclear plant is in proximity of the refinery, which is dangerous. The belt is earthquake-prone. These are valid technical points on which we are opposing the refinery. The government should promote industries like food processing.
—Vinayak Raut, Sena MP, Ratnagiri