Chief minister Ashok Gehlot came under attack from his party legislator Sonaram Chaudhary on Monday, following the state government’s decision to set up the Barmer oil refinery at Pachpadra instead of Leelala in the same district.
The senior legislator from Barmer’s Bay too assembly constituency alleged that the government’s latest decision was “manipulated” by the chief minister who was being driven by the “vote-politics”.
“Gehlot has moved the refinery closer to his home turf Jodhpur at the cost of Barmer’s development. Though Leelala and Pachpadra are both in my constituency, Baytoo, the area’s geography is such that the refinery’s relocation will now take all its associated development benefits to Jodhpur rather than Barmer,” Chaudhary told reporters in Jaipur on Monday. The legislator stressed that he would support the locals if they take to street against the government decision and would also take up the matter with the Congress central leadership.
Chaudhary raised a couple of questions on the government decision. “When the oil field is in Leelala, why is the refinery being set up at Pachpadra, 60 km away?” he asked. The legislator denied the government claims that the farmers in Leelala were demanding exorbitant compensations for their lands that were being acquired for the refinery. “Who asked for Rs 1 crore per bigha or Rs 50 lakh per bigha or even Rs 15 lakh per bigha? Disclose the names of these farmers. The chief minister should also disclose the amount that the government was ready to pay to the farmers,” Chaudhary said, stressing that the government was indulging in false propaganda to justify its decision about refinery’s relocation.
The Baytoo legislator emphasised that the relocation decision was taken by a government committee comprising just bureaucrats. “I am the elected representative of the people from the area, but the government did not consult me even once on the refinery’s location matter,” Chaudhary said. He added that while two national highways passed from close to Leelala, Pachpadra had a salty lake. “Environmentally also the relocation decision is unwise,” the legislator said.
src: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Cong-MLA-slams-Gehlot-for-changing-refinerys-location/articleshow/20751970.cms