The state government is seriously considering taking back criminal cases registered against locals who were protesting against the Jaitapur nuclear power project. A high-level committee will also be formed to take decisions on 25 demands that were presented before chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday.
Members of Madban Janhit Seva Samiti, senior officers from Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and senior bureaucrats were called for a meeting at Sahyadri Guest House. The Samiti members presented 25 demands to the chief minister through a memorandum. The major demand made by the Samiti members was the withdrawal of criminal cases against the protestors. The chief minister announced that all the cases would be withdrawn, apart from the cases under Section 302 and 307 of the IPC.
“We appreciate the positive approach taken by the Janhit Seva Samiti. Distribution of monetary compensation to the affected families will be completed by October 15. Of the 2,236 affected people, `50 crore has been distributed to 312 families,” Mr Chavan said. It was also decided to form a three-member committee to take a decision on the demands made by the Samiti. The committee comprises the chief minister, industries minister Narayan Rane and Uday Samant, minister of state for urban development.
“The committee will start meeting after September 19, i.e. after the Ganeshotsav festival. The approach of the state is positive and the Samiti members were quite satisfied with the meeting,” Mr Samant said.
“An in-principle decision to start a cold storage facility for the fishing industry and a processing unit for exporting quality mangoes was taken during the meet. Even today, the mango producers of Ratnagiri have to go to Lasalgaon of Nashik district for processing mangoes before exporting,” informed Mr Samant, who is also the guardian minister of the Ratnagiri district.