Opposition to India’s biggest hydrocarbon complex in Odisha brews

The hydrocarbon complex near the proposed port at Subarnarekha river in Balasore to be developed by Haldia Petrochemicals Limited and it would comprise a 1.08 million tonnes per annum of polyethylene plant, a 1.6 million tonnes of paraxylene per annum and 1.25 million tonnes of purified purified terepthalic acid per annum.

A Rs 78,225 crore project which involves setting up a mega hydrocarbon complex in coastal Odisha district of Balasore and likely to give employment to about 10,000 youths is facing public opposition over land acquisition.

Though the foundation stone for the port project was laid over a year and a half ago, no work has started yet. (HT photo. Representative image)

The hydrocarbon complex near the proposed port at Subarnarekha river in Balasore to be developed by Haldia Petrochemicals Limited and it would comprise a 1.08 million tonnes per annum of polyethylene plant, a 1.6 million tonnes of paraxylene per annum and 1.25 million tonnes of purified purified terepthalic acid per annum.

The first phase of the project involving an amount of Rs 28,700 crore was sanctioned by the state last year. Kolkata-based HPL had promised to rope in a global oil and petrochemicals company as a strategic partner to provide the feedstock supply. Odisha industry department officials described it as the biggest domestic investment project in the country.

However, the project seems to have hit a roadblock with people in Baliapal block, the project site, now opposing land acquisition. On June 9 and June 12, the local administration tried to conduct a public hearing over the project at Aladiha and Jambhirai villages respectively but met with strong public resistance over govt move to remove encroachers of government land.

Of the 3,520 acres of land needed for the project, 2,979 acres of land belongs to the government while the rest are private. However, hundreds of people in 6 grampanchayats of Baliapal block of Balasore are doing farming and have set up betel vines over government land.

In Jambhirai grampanchayat, one of the project-affected grampanchayat, people are up against the project, saying it would snatch their livelihood.

Kartik Nayak, sarpanch of Jambhirai grampanchayat said people would not allow their land to be used for any industrial purpose as it is a highly fertile land.

“Our people have been eking out a livelihood for decades. Many villagers don’t have any land which they can call their own and are tilling government land. They are unlikely to find employment in the industrial project due to low literacy level. We are going to oppose this,” said Nayak.

Nayak said a couple of days ago, hundreds of women in the affected grampanchayat of Jambhirai had blown conch to show their opposition to the project.

Arun Jena, who is leading the protest under the banner of Upakula Bhitamati Suraksha Committee, said people in the affected grampanchayats make at least Rs 7 lakh a year by cultivating paddy, groundnut and betel.

“In the name of an industrial project, the government is out to make paupers out of farmers. The government should not forget that people here in the 90s had opposed DRDO’s plan of establishing its missile test range. The hydrocarbon project would meet the same fate,” said Jena.

Sambit Kumar Nayak, additional district magistrate of Balasore admitted that the opposition to the project was growing, but added that efforts are on to persuade the villagers.

“We are trying to reach out to the people in batches to make them understand about the all-round development that the project would bring to the region. Odisha should not miss out on such a project,” said Nayak.

Haldia Petrochemical Limited officials refused to comment on the developments.

Meanwhile, business leaders of Odisha said contrary to what some people are trying to portray, the opposition is not widespread.

“Some people who have made a career out of opposing any big-ticket project are inciting people against it. The kind of development the project would bring is unimaginable and may change the face of Balasore for all time to come. The government should give a good rehabilitation package to villagers and ensure that land is acquired at the quickest,” said Amit Behera of North Odisha Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Another business leader said the opposition to the project may have been fuelled by popular mistrust over lack of progress in the proposed port project at Chumukh over Subarnarekha river in Baliapal block at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore.

Though the foundation stone for the port project was laid over a year and a half ago, no work has started yet.