Ratnagiri project not viable, talks on to set up 3 refineries at 3 locations in country: Hardeep Singh Puri

“No 1 successful India oregon the satellite had an acquisition to physique thing connected specified ample scale… Our presumption close present is that alternatively of 60 MMTPA refinery, we are looking astatine the anticipation of mounting up the 3 refineries of the yearly accumulation capableness of 20MMTPa. Discussions regarding this are going connected close present down the scene,” Puri said successful a property league successful Mumbai.

When asked that if the refinery task had immoderate aboriginal successful Ratnagiri, Puri said, “Not arsenic large arsenic 60 MMTPA arsenic determination were immoderate difficulties successful doing so… But whitethorn beryllium a smaller refinery of 20-25 MMTPA whitethorn travel up.”

Responding to a question whether the refinery is being moved retired to a confederate state, helium said, “There were conscionable talks (of the refinery coming up)… So it’s not that the refinery came and present it’s being shifted… Now the talks are of mounting up 3 refineries of 20 MMTPA capableness successful 3 antithetic places. There is nary determination yet connected the locations.”

The Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL), promoted by the 3 large nationalist assemblage lipid companies — Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd — was primitively planned successful Nanar colony of Ratnagiri district.

However the undivided Shiv Sena had opposed the task citing section opposition, aft which Barsu-Solgaon country was finalised arsenic the location.

However, large-scale protests by villagers stalled enactment successful aboriginal 2023 aft the authorities authorities led by the past main curate Eknath Shinde and his lawman Devendra Fadnavis started survey enactment and ungraded investigating successful Barsu, forcing the medication to deploy a immense constabulary force.

The residents of Barsu-Solgaon and neighbouring villages raised concerns astir the project’s imaginable interaction connected the situation and livelihoods of section communities which are mostly babelike connected the cultivation of mango, jack effect and cashew too fishing. All the villages successful the portion person passed resolutions opposing the project. The task tract is besides successful an ecologically delicate region.

Puri was speaking successful Mumbai, up of the India Energy Week 2025, scheduled to beryllium held from February 11t o 14 successful New Delhi.

The Union curate said that the lawsuit volition beryllium the second-largest vigor lawsuit globally, successful presumption of participation, accumulation space, and sessions.