Council happy IOC terminal works suspended at Puthuvypeen

Thiruvananthapuram: The action council leading the agitation against the IOC terminal at Puthuvypeen welcomed the decisions taken by the government at the meeting held on Wednesday.

The action council members said the decision taken by the government suspending the work at the plant and the setting up expert group to look into the apprehensions raised by the people were steps in the right direction. However, they said the big question was whether these decisions would be implemented on the ground.

The action council hoped the government would not adopt delaying tactics and divert the issue. However, the decision on the future course of action would be taken at extended meeting of the council to be held in Kochi.

The mode of agitation would also be discussed at the meeting. A section of action council members felt that there was no need for agitations like blockade and gheraos in the wake of the government decision to appoint expert panel. They believed that the action council should wait for the final report of the panel.

Earlier chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed the hope that the action council would cooperate with the government initiative to resolve the issue amicably.

Chronology of events

IOC LPG proposal at Puthuvypeen came up in 2009.

Environment clearance received on July 5, 2010.

Project work began in 2012 after getting requisite clearances from the concerned agencies.

Local people approach NGT pointing out that IOC was not complying with the norms same year

NGT orders status quo in July 2016.

NGT goes for detailed examination of the project and directs continuation of the work in August 2016.

The Plant is in CRZ area. NGT observed that there was no bar on storage of Petroleum products and LPG. Controls are required only CRZ 1 area. But the project area is not in CRZ 1.

IOC has the right to continue work on the basis of 2010 environment clearance.

A section of local people file complaint with Njarackal police alleging violation of norms.

The police direct IOC to suspend the work temporarily. However, IOC approaches the HC directs police to give protection to staff.

September 8, 2016 HC directs that construction work shouldn’t be blocked

November 19, 2016 the HC heard the side of complainants, clarified that IOC can continue work.

A panel comprising representatives of local bodies, union environment ministry, coastal management authority examines issues concerning the plant.

The panel submitted a report in 2016 stating that all rules and norms have been complied with.

The agitation of local people begin after police protection is provided to the plant for carrying out the constriction activities at the site on June 2017.

NGT order has clarified that IOC has environment clearance, environment clearance has not been challenged, there is no hindrance in continuing with the work, there are no circumstances on the ground to ban the plant activities, there is no need for any separate order for further clarification and IOC could go ahead with legal issues.