PARADIP: Villagers of Dhinkia have warned to intensify protest if Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) went ahead with its plan to lay the proposed Paradip-Hyderabad Product Pipeline (PHPL) in the panchayat.In a bid to address the grievances of Dhinkia residents over PHPL, IOCL authorities on Thursday organised a meeting at Jagannath Colony in Paradip. However, the villagers of the panchayat refused to part with their land for the proposed project. As many as 60 villagers attended the meet.
Dhinkia Sarpanch Salila Nayak said the villagers are yet to be provided jobs by the authorities of IOCL’s Paradip Refinery. This apart, the effluent of the refinery is causing pollution in the area, Nayak said.
Displaced families and land losers are living in pathetic condition after being deprived of employment in Paradip Refinery. The authorities are yet to carry out the decision of the last RPDAC meeting in 2010 as not a single displaced family has got permanent job in IOCL, Nayak added.
Moreover, the betel vines in Dhinkia, Trilochanpur, Mahal and nearby villages have been damaged due to release of effluent from the refinery. This apart, the groundwater has also been contaminated, the villagers alleged. Livelihood of villagers in Dhinkia panchayat would be affected as betel vines would be demolished during land acquisition for PHPL, they claimed. Among others, PHPL official Dillip Mohanty, panchayat samiti member of Dhinkia Debendra Swain and representatives of IOCL were present at the meet.