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War threat brightens prospects of Bina Refinery project
By Michael Fisher
With war clouds hovering on the horizon, the much-delayed Bina Refinery Project in Madhya Pradesh is getting a renewed interest. It is because out of the country' 112 million tonne refining capacity, 42 mt is located in western India, that is Gujarat and Maharashtra. Thus, nearly 38 per cent of the refining capacity is exposed to enemy attack.
It is in this regard that the need for a refinery in the interior of the country is felt. Says a source close to BPCL, which is setting up Bina Refinery, "The 6 million tonne refinery, which was approved in 1995, is yet to take off. Hurdles have been put up in one way or the other to interfere in the progress of the refinery. It would be of utmost importance to remove all hurdles for implementation of Bina refinery project so that the nation is saved from catastrophic situation, if refineries in Mumbai and Jamnagar are crippled due to enemy operations."
War or no war, the country needs a refinery project in central India. This refinery is supposed to meet the long felt need of the central region to support mega projects for all round growth, especially of the backward area, where it is being located. National interest should not be allowed to be compromised at all, the source said.
(1/6/02)
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