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Residents Fear Relocation, Environmental Degradation Caused by Expansion of Mangalore Refinery in Karnataka

Reported by

Deepak C N

Legal Review by

Edited by

Updated by

Published on

October 19, 2016

May 17, 2022

Edited on

October 19, 2016

State

Karnataka

Sector

Industry

People Affected by Conflict

937

Households Affected by Conflict

Land Area Affected (in Hectares)

389

ha

Starting Year

2014

Location of Conflict

Mangaluru

Dakshina Kannada

Reason or Cause of Conflict

Petroleum and Gas

Environmental degradation

Land Conflict Summary

In 2017, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) announced its decision to step into the fourth phase of expansion of the refinery, which required about 1,050 acres of land. After a public hearing and a survey, the Karnataka government decided that 962 acres, of which 824 acres were private land, could be notified for usage. The fourth phase of the expansion plan would extend the area covered by the company to 1,781 hectares. This has made the residents of Mangaluru anxious. Expansion work of the refinery is likely to cause pollution and contaminate soil and water. This is detrimental to the community as they are heavily dependent on fishing and farming. The protesting residents also allege that procedure was not followed in the process of land acquisition. Following a petition by Bhoja Shettigar, a land owner in the projectaffected area, the Karnataka high court passed an interim stay order on the land acquisition in 2018. In a hearing on April 9, 2019, the court maintained the status quo on the interim stay order. This is not the first time that farmers and fisherfolk in the area have protested against MRPL. The loss of ancestral land and environmental degradation has been at the forefront of the community's opposition to MPRL since its inception in 1995 to the successive years of its expansion. A notification to acquire land in the two villages was first issued in 2007 but it was withdrawn by then Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa following protests in 2011. It was revived in 2017 when the local people asked for the land to be acquired under the LARR Act, 2013, since the earlier process was to be carried out under the KIADB Act, 1966. Mangaluru residents have been routinely subjected to recurring relocations and loss of fertile agricultural land. They are now fighting against MRPL's expansion under the banner of the Democratic Youth Federation of India and Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Samiti.

Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Opposition against environmental degradation

Refusal to give up land for the project

Complaint against procedural violations

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Opposition to expansion of the project

Region Classification

Urban and Rural

Type of Land

Both

Type of Common Land

Forest and Non-Forest, Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

20000

Type of investment:

Revised Investment

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Legal Data

Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict

Land Acquisition Laws, Environmental Laws, Other

Legislations/Policies Involved

Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Act, 1966
Section 3 [Provision empowering state government to declare any area an industrial area]; Section 28 [Process by which state government can acquire land for the purpose of development by the Board, including ensuring that the owner of land is granted an opportunity to be heard]; Section 29 [Provision stating that state government shall pay compensation for any land acquired and process therein]
Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
Section 4 [Preparation of Social Impact Assessment Study, such that the appropriate government has to conduct such study prior to acquiring any land for public purpose]; Section 5 [Appropriate government to ensure that public hearing is held in the affected area]; Section 6 [Report of Social Impact Assessment study and Management Plan to be published in local language and published in affected area, including publishing with Environment Impact Assessment study if carried out]
Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006
Point 7(III) [Prior to the grant of Environmental Clearance, which is the third stage, public consultation needs to be carried out to hear the concerns of affected persons or stakeholders due to environmental impact of a proposed project]
Land Acquisition Act, 1894
Section 4(1) [Provision mandating that state government is required to publish a preliminary notification through two daily newspapers for any land acquired under this Act]; Section 5A [Affected persons can submit their objections in writing to the District Collector and have a right to be heard]; Section 6(1) [State government is required to declare, after hearing objections, that the particular land is required for a public purpose]
Special Economic Zones Act, 2005
Section 5 [Guidelines for the Union government to notify Special Economic Zones include generation of economic activity and development of infrastructure ability]; Section 31 [Provisions empowering Union government to appoint authorities to acquire, hold and dispose of property]
  1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  2. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  4. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  5. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  6. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  7. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute

What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?

What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?

Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:

Non-implementation/violation of LARR Act

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Pending

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

Name of the adjudicatory body

Name(s) of the Court(s)

High Court of Karnataka

Case Number

ILR 2010 KAR 3980 (W.P. No. 925-935/2010); W.P.Nos. 55951-53/2014 (S-RES); W.P. 59589/2014 (LA-KIADB); WP 22707/2018

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

No items found.

Whether criminal law was used against protestors:

Reported Details of the Violation:

Date of Violation

Location of Violation

Additional Information

Nature of Protest

Complaints/petitions/letters/memorandums to officials

Development of a network or collective

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha

Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Resources

Resources Related to Conflict

  • News Articles Related to the Conflict:
  • Documents Related to the Conflict:
  • Links Related to the Conflict:

Images

Image Credit:  

Image Credit:  

Video

In 2017, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) announced its decision to step into the fourth phase of expansion of the refinery, which required about 1,050 acres of land. After a public hearing and a survey, the Karnataka government decided that 962 acres, of which 824 acres were private land, could be notified for usage. The fourth phase of the expansion plan would extend the area covered by the company to 1,781 hectares. This has made the residents of Mangaluru anxious. Expansion work of the refinery is likely to cause pollution and contaminate soil and water. This is detrimental to the community as they are heavily dependent on fishing and farming. The protesting residents also allege that procedure was not followed in the process of land acquisition. Following a petition by Bhoja Shettigar, a land owner in the projectaffected area, the Karnataka high court passed an interim stay order on the land acquisition in 2018. In a hearing on April 9, 2019, the court maintained the status quo on the interim stay order. This is not the first time that farmers and fisherfolk in the area have protested against MRPL. The loss of ancestral land and environmental degradation has been at the forefront of the community's opposition to MPRL since its inception in 1995 to the successive years of its expansion. A notification to acquire land in the two villages was first issued in 2007 but it was withdrawn by then Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa following protests in 2011. It was revived in 2017 when the local people asked for the land to be acquired under the LARR Act, 2013, since the earlier process was to be carried out under the KIADB Act, 1966. Mangaluru residents have been routinely subjected to recurring relocations and loss of fertile agricultural land. They are now fighting against MRPL's expansion under the banner of the Democratic Youth Federation of India and Krishi Bhoomi Samrakshana Samiti.

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Opposition against environmental degradation

Refusal to give up land for the project

Complaint against procedural violations

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Opposition to expansion of the project

Region Classification

Urban and Rural

Type of Land

Both

Type of Common Land

Forest and Non-Forest, Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

Total investment involved (in Crores):

20000

Type of investment:

Revised Investment

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict

Land Acquisition Laws, Environmental Laws, Other

Legislations/Policies Involved

Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Act, 1966
Section 3 [Provision empowering state government to declare any area an industrial area]; Section 28 [Process by which state government can acquire land for the purpose of development by the Board, including ensuring that the owner of land is granted an opportunity to be heard]; Section 29 [Provision stating that state government shall pay compensation for any land acquired and process therein]
Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
Section 4 [Preparation of Social Impact Assessment Study, such that the appropriate government has to conduct such study prior to acquiring any land for public purpose]; Section 5 [Appropriate government to ensure that public hearing is held in the affected area]; Section 6 [Report of Social Impact Assessment study and Management Plan to be published in local language and published in affected area, including publishing with Environment Impact Assessment study if carried out]
Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006
Point 7(III) [Prior to the grant of Environmental Clearance, which is the third stage, public consultation needs to be carried out to hear the concerns of affected persons or stakeholders due to environmental impact of a proposed project]
Land Acquisition Act, 1894
Section 4(1) [Provision mandating that state government is required to publish a preliminary notification through two daily newspapers for any land acquired under this Act]; Section 5A [Affected persons can submit their objections in writing to the District Collector and have a right to be heard]; Section 6(1) [State government is required to declare, after hearing objections, that the particular land is required for a public purpose]
Special Economic Zones Act, 2005
Section 5 [Guidelines for the Union government to notify Special Economic Zones include generation of economic activity and development of infrastructure ability]; Section 31 [Provisions empowering Union government to appoint authorities to acquire, hold and dispose of property]
  1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  2. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  4. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  5. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  6. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  7. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute

What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?

What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?

Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:

Non-implementation/violation of LARR Act

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Pending

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

Name of the adjudicatory body

Name(s) of the Court(s)

High Court of Karnataka

Case Number

ILR 2010 KAR 3980 (W.P. No. 925-935/2010); W.P.Nos. 55951-53/2014 (S-RES); W.P. 59589/2014 (LA-KIADB); WP 22707/2018

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

No items found.

Whether criminal law was used against protestors:

Reported Details of the Violation:

Date of Violation

Location of Violation

Nature of Protest

Complaints/petitions/letters/memorandums to officials

Development of a network or collective

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha

Resources Related to Conflict

  • News Articles Related to the Conflict:
  • Documents Related to the Conflict:
  • Links Related to the Conflict:

Image Credit:  

Image Credit:  

Documented By

Text Link

Reviewed By

Text Link

Updated By

Text Link

Edited By

Text LinkLand Conflict Watch

Other Land Conflicts in Karnataka

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