HRF demands immediate revocation of land allotted to Jindal in S.Kota

The Human Rights Forum (HRF) demanded the government to revoke the land allotted to Jindal South West Aluminium Ltd (JSWAL) in S Kota mandal of Vizianagaram district, in 2007.

Addressing a section of the media, here on Monday (July 07), after a recent fact-finding tour to the villages, the members said that a total of over 1166 acres, including 985.70 acres of government and D Patta land and 180 acres of privately purchased land, was allotted to JSWAL for setting up an alumina refinery-cum smelter project that never materialised. For nearly two decades, Jindal has failed to set up the project and the government must therefore reclaim the land and distribute it to landless and marginal farmers in the area.

“We also call for initiation of a comprehensive and time-bound inquiry into the entire land allotment process, done in dubious circumstances, to JSWHL. The investigation must identify those responsible for this land scam — both in government and the company — and hold them accountable under the law,” HRF AP and TS Coordination Committee member VS Krishna said.

A three-member HRF team visited the area on July 5 and spoke with farmers of Mushidipalle, Kiltampalem, Moola Boddavara, Chinakandepalli and Cheedipalem villages.

“We interacted with farmers who have set up a protest camp in Boddavara. The farmers are in a state of deep insecurity and anger since they have been repeatedly deceived by the JSWAL, with active collusion of successive governments,” HRF AP State Executive Committee member K Anuradha said.

It may be recalled that JSWAL was allotted lands (G.O. Ms No. 892, dt: 28-6-2007) in S. Kota mandal for the refinery-smelter units. JSWAL was to source bauxite through the A.P. Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) from the Rakthakonda, Galikonda and Chittamgondi hills in the Araku Fifth Schedule region. A full 18 years have gone by and Jindal has failed to set up the refinery and honour its commitments.

Importantly, the State government issued orders cancelling the Bauxite Supply Agreement (BSA) with Jindal in 2016. Further, with a view to clearly favour JSWAL, the YSRCP government issued G.O. Ms No. 14 dated 20-2-2023 according permission “for change of line of activity from Aluminium Refinery Complex to MSME Park/Any other industries in the allocated land of 985.70 acres..”, the HRF members pointed out.

This arbitrary repurposing raises a fundamental question: Is the government a broker for private capital or custodian of public welfare? Alarmingly, there are reports that this so-called ‘MSME Park’ will be allotted water from the Thatipudi reservoir. The reservoir is a vital drinking water source to Visakhapatnam city and dozens of villages in its vicinity and is committed to irrigation in over 15,000 acres in the mandals of S. Kota, Jami and Gantyada.

The local farmers who have lost livelihood all these years are now agitating peacefully calling on the government to resume the lands given to JSWAL and to distribute it to them since the company has committed a clear breach of trust. Instead of engaging with them, the government has responded with repression by deploying police and curbing their democratic right to protest, said Mr. Krishna.

A dalit farmer, Muthyala Sanyasi Rao, one of the key voices against the land injustice, was set upon recently in the dead of night on the Boddavara-Mushidipalli road by masked men and manhandled. He was told that he and his family would face dire consequences if they continued to oppose Jindal. Mr. Rao has lodged a police complaint but there has not been any meaningful investigation so far, HRF AP State president KV Jagannadha Rao said.

The members said that the government must scrap G.O. 14, cancel all land allotments made to JSWAL in the area and reclaim the 1166 acres handed  to Jindal in 2007 for an alumina refinery complex that never saw the light of day.

This land must be distributed to local farmers, many of them from the dalit and adivasi communities, who have suffered multiple displacement, dispossession and neglect and have already lost far too much, the HRF members alleged.