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Minister demands oil refinery in Barmer

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, FEB.5. The Rajasthan Minister for Petroleum, Laxminarain Dave, has demanded establishment of a refinery in the State for processing of the newly found oil in the Barmer region. "When Gujarat has a refinery to process oil found in Ankaleshwar and Assam has one for its deposits in Bongaigaon, Rajasthan too deserves a refinery," he asserted.

Mr.Dave, also the Minister for Forest and Environment, though made light of the threat attributed to him that he would not allow the oil pipelines from Gujarat port to Bathinda in Punjab to pass through the State, however said that every Rajasthani shared his sentiments on the State's claim for a refinery. Only the other day the Congress general secretary and former Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot had pointed out that Rajasthan Government should strongly put up its case to the petroleum companies, instead of making it appear as if the refinery meant for the State had gone to Punjab.

Joining the issue with Mr.Gehlot, who had pointed out that the National Democratic Government had sanctioned the refinery in Punjab and the present Chief Minister here, Vasundhara Raje was in the Union Cabinet then, Mr.Dave said that the Centre's decision was justified that time. He blamed the previous Gehlot Government in the State for not vigorously pursuing the exploration activities in the past.

Mr.Dave refuted the observations from certain quarters, including from the chairman of the Indian Oil Corporation that the refinery was not feasible in the State as its reserves would last only for five years. "The reality is that the State has adequate crude reserves which would last for the next 20-25 years. The director general of Hydrocarbons at the Centre too had compared the oil reserves found in the State to no less than that of Assam and Bombay High,'' he claimed.

Mr.Dave also quoted the Union Petroleum Secretary, S.C. Tripathi, who visited the State recently, to drive home his point that Rajasthan should have a well head refinery at Barmer.

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