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Munde will attempt to justify Enron project to villagers at site

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde is scheduled to visit Guhagar, near which the massive Enron project is coming up, on Monday to put forth the state government's stand on the project prior to his debate with environmentalist Medha Patkar on August 11. Munde had on three occasions postponed his debate with Patkar, who is leading the Enron Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti.

The anti-Enron committee has decided to greet the deputy chief minister with black flag demonstrations on his visit, said Ashok Kadam, a leader of the anti-Enron committee. The people of the villages affected by the project have demanded Munde's presence in the public debate over the Enron issue.

Interestingly, as an opposition leader, Munde had thundered in the same villages that he would throw the Enron project into the Arabian Sea. Subsequently, on becoming the government in 1995, Munde did a U-turn vis-a-vis the Enron project. The local Bharatiya Janata Party, to which Munde belongs, have been hard put to explain this sudden volte face to the people in the villages.

Now, Munde will seek to justify the Enron project. Local legislator Dr Vinay Natu has been working overtime to make the deputy chief minister's visit a success. It has become a question of the BJP's survival in the Guhagar region.

On the other hand, the Anti-Enron Committee has made full preparations to demonstrate against Munde during his visit to Guhagar, including trying to prevent him from entering the village.

The situation in the villages is tense and the district police have sought the help of the Central Reserve Police to maintain calm in Guhagar and the other villages.

Compiled by Prasanna D Zorey from the Marathi press