On April 28, 2022, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued an order allowing Auroville Foundation to continue the implementation of Crown Road project in Auroville, but with some caveats. Following this, the Auroville Foundation razed two houses in the township.
Auroville is a cultural township spread over 20 Square Kilometre across Tamil Nadu and northern Puduchhery. Its residents include citizens from around the world. It enjoys a special autonomous status and is governed by the Auroville Foundation Act, 1988. It's day-to-day management is run by the Auroville Foundation, which in turn functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
The conflict in Auroville Township started on December 2, 2021, when the Auroville Town Development Council (ATDC) sent an email to the Youth Centre informing them that the work on clearing the 16.7m ‘right of way’ would begin in a week. However, the ATDC started felling trees to make way for the Crown road project on December 4. Several Auroville residents gathered on the spot to protest the tree felling.
The Crown road project is a part of Auroville's Universal Township Master Plan – Perspective 2025. The layout of this plan includes a circular inner ring know as the 'Crown', 12 radial roads and an outer ring. Stretching over a length of 4.3 Kilometre, the crown road has a right of way of 16.07 metres wide. This road has been planned as a key part of the township that will provide service facilities to its different zones. As per the current plan, the Crown road will pass through forest and river catchment areas, and involve felling of trees in Darkali and Bliss forests in Auroville.
The Master Plan was first prepared in 1999 by residents of Auroville and approved by the Resident's Assembly under the Auroville Foundation Act, 1988. The Governing Body of Auroville felt the need to consult planners for that plan at the state and national level. This resulted in the formulation of the Universal Township plan in 2001. This was approved by the then Ministry of Human Resource Development and Auroville's Governing Body. It was however not submitted again to the Resident's Assembly for its approval. The plan was finally gazetted in 2010 by the Auroville Foundation.
The implementation of this plan adopted a greater pace in 2021, marked by felling of trees by the Auroville Foundation. This occurred despite several concerns raised by Auroville residents, and a decision made by Auroville's Resident's Assembly to stop all development on the Crown road. The pressure to complete the project comes at the heels of the recent appointment of a new secretary to the Auroville Foundation by the Union government. During this period, Auroville residents who have been protesting the implementation of Crown road, proposed an alternative alignment for the road that would bypass two water catchment areas and the forest. But the Foundation did not take accept the proposal.
On December 10, 2021, the NGT issued a stay order against further felling of trees. However, residents alleged that digging of trenches went on December 18, 2021. In its order issued on April 28, 2022, besides permitting the Auroville Foundation to continue with the project, NGT also established a joint committee. This committee is expected to submit a report in two months on ways by which the number of trees felled may be minimised.
Sandeep Vinod Sarah, one of the two petitioners who approached the NGT, told LCW that at least 50 houses and many other buildings in Auroville are identified in the Crown road project and face the threat of demolition. "No authority other than the Residents' Assembly, or a body given authority by it, has the power to ask residents to shift from a place. But, there is a blatant misuse of power by the [Auroville] Town Development Council and the Secretary of the Foundation," he said. "We are currently awaiting the report from the joint committee appointed by the NGT. However, in the meanwhile, the Foundation has been taking up levelling work and laying high-tension cables in parts that were already cleared, before the status quo order arrived, in violation of the Residents' Assembly's directions."
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Opposition against environmental degradation
Demand to cancel the project
Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Urban
Type of Land
Common
Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land), Forest and Non-Forest
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?
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):
₹
Type of investment:
Year of Estimation
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Legislations/Policies Involved
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
Violation of environmental laws
Non-consultation with stakeholders
Violation of free prior informed consent
Lack of legal protection over land rights
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Disposed
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
No
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench
Case Number
Original Application no. 239 of 2021
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Physical attack
Blackmail/threats/intimidation
Arrest/detention/imprisonment
Displacement
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Auroville residents were allegedly manhandled and detained by the Police late at night. The police officials were escorting the officials of ATDC, who had reached the Bliss forest with bulldozers to uproot trees to clear the way for the Crown Road project.
Date of Violation
December 4, 2021
Location of Violation
Auroville
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Auroville Town Development Council, Auroville International Board, Working Committee, Auroville Foundation
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
No
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
No
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Residents' Assembly, Youth Centre, Auroville Outreach Media
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?
Hariprasad is a Tamil Nadu-based independent journalist who writes primarily on environmental and developmental issues. He has worked for and contributed to a number of leading publications. He can often be seen playing chess or struggling to learn the keyboard.
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