PARADIP: Laying of pipeline for the proposed Paradip-Hyderabad Product Pipeline (PHPL) through Dhinkia panchayat has run into rough weather after the villagers of Dhinkia vowed not to give an inch of land till their demands are fulfilled.
Their demands include job opportunity, pollution control and peripheral development under Corporate Social Responsibility of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), which is undertaking the work.
On Tuesday, PHPL authorities conducted a meeting with the villagers of Dhinkia seeking their cooperation towards laying of the pipeline of PHPL through their panchayat.
Paradip Refinery of IOCL has not been keeping its job promise and creating pollution by releasing effluent, which is damaging the betel vine crops in Dhinkia, Trilochanpur, Mahal and other villages. The villagers also alleged that the effluent also polluted groundwater rending tube-well water unfit for consumption.
In March, Dhinkia sarpanch Salila Nayak had submitted a memorandum to the authorities of PHPL seeking fulfilment of three demands but none has been met till date, they alleged.
Dhinkia Panchayat Samiti member Debendra Swain said, “40 villagers of Dhinkia attended the meeting but the authority of PHPL did not agree with our proposal.”