“I have asked officers from the state government to talk to the company officers. We would also be talking to the warkaris as well as the villagers to address their issues as they are opposing the project for fear of environmental pollution. We want to settle this issue amicably,” said Chavan while speaking to The Indian Express on Tuesday.

Chavan is considering options to keep the company in the state even as rumours have begun doing rounds that Dow may be considering a shift to Gujarat.

According to the chief minister, Dow had put in nearly Rs 500 crore, a huge investment in the state, and a solution had to be worked out by talking to both the parties. “There is a lot of confusion among the people and everything needs to be ironed out. The inquiry would bring out the necessary results. A final decision will be taken after taking people into confidence,” he said.

Meanwhile, villagers from Shinde and Vasuli in Chakan in the district are set to complete one year of their agitation against the company. Activist Vilas Sonawane who has been supporting the villagers said that a public meeting has been convened on January 16 to mark the occasion and to further mobilise the villagers. “We will not allow the project anywhere in the state as well,” he said, confident that it would not come up in Pune.

With BJP leader Gopinath Munde and former deputy chief minister R R Patil making public statements that they would not allow it come up in Pune, there were talks about the company planning to shift out of Pune.