I should not be surprised that Maharashtra's new chief minister is having second thoughts about Dow Chemical's plans for a research centre at Chakan, near Pune. Unfortunately, I am.
I fail to see how a research centre will increase pollution. Dow had signed an MoU with the government last August and construction had started when villagers, supported by NGOs, started agitating and forced the company to halt work.
Politicians have been quick to jump in and the new chief minister probably sees this as an opportunity to make his mark in state politics.