Displaced Families Raise Concern Over Failure In R&R Implementation, Seek PMO Help
Project-displaced families from Bajpe accused that GMPL (GAIL Mangalore Petrochemicals Limited) has failed to fulfill these statutory obligations.
Mangaluru : The MSEZ Bajpe Rehabilitation Rights Protection Committee has written to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), about non-implementation of Rehabilitation & Resettlement (R&R) obligations in the JBF-GMPL project.
In a letter dated April 23, the committee, representing project-displaced families from Bajpe, said land was surrendered for the government-approved project based on assurances of permanent employment under the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) policy and lease agreements.
“However, GMPL (GAIL Mangalore Petrochemicals Limited) has failed to fulfill these statutory obligations. The matter has already been taken up by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and forwarded to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) for necessary action. However, no response or action has been taken by MoPNG so far,” the Committee stated in the letter.
The continued inaction has caused severe livelihood distress among displaced families and undermined trust in government policies, the committee said.
In its representation, the committee urged the PMO to direct the concerned authorities to enforce R&R obligations, initiate action against GMPL/GAIL, and ensure permanent employment to affected families.
The issue of non-implementation of rehabilitation commitments has also been raised earlier by representatives of Project Displaced Families (PDFs), who had approached the Prime Minister’s Office seeking intervention in the matter.
In a representation dated January 29, PDF Employees of JBF petrochemicals Ltd-(Now GMPL) highlighted the long-pending demand for permanent employment under the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) policy of the Government of Karnataka.
They pointed out that several Central Public Sector Undertakings operating within MSEZ, including OMPL, MRPL and ISPRL, had implemented these commitments by providing jobs to displaced families even before commencing commercial production.
“However, Project Displaced persons who were earlier employed under JBF Petrochemicals Limited and subsequently transferred to GAIL Mangalore Petrochemicals Limited (GMPL) through proceedings under the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), despite arising from the same MSEZ Project and the same land acquisition process, have not been granted Regular (Permanent) Employment as envisaged under the R&R Orders. Instead, they continue to be engaged only on Fixed Term or Contractual arrangements, which defeats the purpose of rehabilitation and results in unequal treatment of similarly situated displaced families,” they had then stated.
