Samiti flays move to lay gas pipelines in populated areas

The Gas Pipeline Virodhi Horata Samiti Convenor Krishnaprasad Rai has said that the East Godhavari GAIL pipeline blast incident is an eye opener to the whole country and the administration should rethink about gas pipelines which are being laid through 32 villages of Mangalore, Bantwal and Belthangady taluks of Dakshina Kannada.

Addressing a press conference here, on Tuesday, he said that according to the norms, one gas pipeline can be laid in one kilo metre area, but here five pipelines are being laid within one kilo metre area.

There is HPCL pipeline at Mangalore and Bantwal taluks, pipeline of GAIL at Mangalore, Bantwal and Belthangady, proposed line by Relogistics Infrastructure Limited, except Petronet Company, which is already completed.

According to sources, survey is going on for another pipeline from Mangalore to Chithradurga, he said.

They lay pipelines just 1.2 metres below the ground-level, but it is in inhabited areas.  Here land is very near to sea. In this salty sand, metal gets rusted very soon. So the chances of gas leakage are more. Still the officials tell that in foreign countries these kinds of projects have been implemented and proved successful.

“I have documents to prove that in Canada and USA also, gas pipeline tragedies have occurred, but casualty was less as they follow security measures very strictly,” he said. The district mainly depends on arecanut, coconut, banana and rubber plantations, but farmers had to lose 18 metres (width) of land for Petronet pipeline and didn’t get compensation. Now, more farmers have to sacrifice for these pipelines.

Because of pipelines construction work is not possible in the sites. Though the officials tell that there is no problem for farming, practically, agriculture is impossible.
 
Amendment to Act

Under the Land Acquisition Act, the company gives only 10 per cent of the actual value of the land as compensation to the land owner. If they take land into their possession, 10 per cent compensation is an injustice. Companies give compensation just for the pipeline area and not for total affected area.

“We will convene a meeting of MLAs and MPs to convince them about the need for amendment of the Act. The people are not against the projects, but they should be compensated or benefited by them,” he said.

‘Farmers easy hunt’

“Petroleum companies could have laid pipelines at sea, beside highways, railway tracks; still they choose farmers’ land as they can get it easily. In Tamil Nadu, a case on farmers’ land acquisition to lay petrol pipe line by GAIL has reached the Supreme Court only because the State Government stood firmly behind the farmers. We are also waiting for the judgement of the Apex Court on the case, as we can take our next step based on that,” he said.

‘Irresponsibility of firms’

Krishnaprasad Rai came down heavily against the irresponsibility of company officials. They don’t even inform the Deputy Commissioner on affects of pipelines. The DC has no idea about the doings of the companies. It gets through a gazetted notification.

These are also a part of Petroleum Chemicals, and Petro Chemicals Investment (PCPIR) Region projects, which are being implemented in 74,000 acre land. There should be a scientific implementation, he said.

“In Kavalakatte, the pipeline passes beside school, temple, anganwadi and through a village where more 150 families live. But, in a recent meeting, HPCL officials said that they are following scientific methods in laying pipelines and they have also promised of General Insurance if anything happens. I have four pipelines in my land at Adyeppadi and if anything happens, no-one would survive to get compensation,” he said.

He showed the letter given by the HPCL officials which didn’t had even a signature.

Samiti Members Bebi Shetty Padoor, Ibrahim Malali, Sampath Kumar Shetty Ammunje and Sujeer Kumar Shetty Kandavara were present.