MLC Kapil Patil questions Sena's changed stand on Wadhwan port

Opposing the proposed satellite port at Wadhwan in neighbouring Palghar district, member of Maharashtra Legislative Council Kapil Patil today alleged that Shiv Sena had changed its stand on the issue after coming to power.
The government, however, assured the Council that locals will be taken into confidence before the project starts.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), which handles more than half of India's shipping cargo, has decided to build a satellite port at Wadhwan. The new port is expected to ease the congestion at JNPT port near Mumbai.
Patil raised the issue in the Legislative Council through a calling-attention motion and said the locals were strongly opposed to the project as it would ruin the marine life in the area and affect the livelihood of fishermen.

"It was (Shiv Sena chief) Uddhav Thackeray who opposed this project a few years ago. Has the Sena changed its stand now after coming to power?" asked Patil.
In his reply, Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam conceded that his party, Shiv Sena, had opposed the project, but said the situation on the ground was different now.
"The Union Environment Ministry has cleared the proposal and the port will be developed 8-10 km inside the sea, so there would not be any issue for fishing boats. We will take the locals into confidence," Kadam said.
Dissatisfied with Kadam's reply, Patil, along with NCP MLC from Palghar Anand Thakur, staged a walkout in protest of the government's decision to go ahead with the project.