Odisha
,
Astaranga
,
Puri
Published :
Oct 2016
|
Updated :
At Least 400 Families in Odisha Protest the Construction of Astaranga Port
Reported by
Sibasish Ray
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Edited by
Anupa Kujur
Households affected
25000
People affected
2008
Year started
1578
Land area affected
Households affected
25000
People Affected
2008
Year started
1578
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Port
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Port
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
1
Summary

In 2008, the Odisha government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hyderabadbased developer Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd for setting up a port in Astaranga in Puri, with a capacity of 25 million tonnes per annum and an investment of Rs. 6,000 crores. Astaranga port is expected to be an allweather, multiuser port built on the BOOST (build, own, operate, share and transfer) model. The land acquisition process targeted 1,670.1 acres of government land (most of it under public possession) and 3,926.729 acres of private land, spread across 15 villages. The project will affect 55,000 villagers, and about 25,000 fishermen risk losing their livelihood. The local people have been protesting the project since the signing of the MoU. In 2014, around 400 families from 7 villages took a vow at the Gomukhi Keshab temple to oppose land acquisition for the project. Both land acquisition and construction work have been halted as the project is facing many legal hurdles. As of January 2021, State Commerce and transport minister Padmanabha Behera, reviewed the port project and called on officials for a speedy resolution of the bottlenecks.

2
Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Refusal to give up land for the project

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Rural

Type of Land

Both

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?

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):

7417

Type of investment:

Cost of Project

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

4
Additional Information

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Odisha state Government

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:

Navayuga Engineering Company

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Peer Jahania Bitamati Surakshya Mancha, Gomukhi Keshab Surakshya Manch

5
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?

Legal Supporting Documents

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Author
Reported by
Sibasish Ray
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Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Refusal to give up land for the project

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

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?

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

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