A fake bina operating in area, says former minister

Controversies still dog the Bina refinery. A former minister has handed over a photocopy of an important document that may raise questions on the state government authorities' involvement in the project.

Sudhakar Bapat, an ex-minister in the state government, alleged, "An illegal entity, Bina Constructions and Suppliers, is operating in Bina. It signed a memorandum of understanding on February 12, 2007, (a photocopy is available with BS) with construction agencies. The MoU spells out the terms and conditions of material supply to the project." He also brought it to the notice of state government officials. The MoU is valid till May 31.

When this correspondent spoke to officials in local administration and the department of industry, which had offered a hefty tax deferment facility to the project for a period of 15 years, a source said, "It is not in our notice."

Speaking to Business Standard, a senior official in Bharat Oman Refinery Ltd said the refinery had its own terms and conditions in each supply tender for material supply and it were not in their notice.

While district collector (Sagar district) said, "If the MoU has been signed between two parties how government is a party to that." He added, "None has made any written complaint to us regarding the MoU or material supply."

However the MoU clearly mentions the name of "Bina Refinery" in it and defines the rates of supply of construction material "To be used in Bina refinery."

Principal Secretary, department of Industries said it is out of ambit of his department however if someone makes a complaint the matter can be investigated.

So far BORL has completed Rs 600 crore construction work on the refinery.