KOCHI : "My eight-year-old grandchild has been dependent on an inhaler for some years now. We have been striving for a solution for years, now our concern is about the children. We don’t want their lives to be doomed,” says Molly Varghese, a resident of Adoorkara located in the Ambalamedu industrial area.
As she whimpers on, one can hear a low, ominous roar of a burner stack at the Kochi refinery of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). Its scarlet glow is just a couple of kilometres away.
Molly continues that the battle is for the third generation living in Ayyankuzhi, Adoorkara, Ambalamugal, and Ettikara of ward 16 in Puthencruz panchayat. She is among the residents holding on, unlike several other families that deserted their homes and relocated to ‘safer’ areas, unable to bear the “distress” caused by BPCL and Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited (HOCL) nearby.
M K Pankajakshan, the leader of an action council of the residents, takes me to Ayyankuzhi, a strip of land sandwiched between the boundary walls of BPCL and HOCL. “This is the worst-affected area,” he says, pointing to the towering granite walls on both sides.
“These industrial units left Ayyankuzhi’s 9.5 acres, where 41 families lived once, trapped. Now only 29 families remain; the rest left.”
Pankajakshan adds that the residents have been instructed to “run against the wind” in case of a gas leak or other mishap. “That’s very reassuring, right? We are trapped here,” he reiterates.
Some residents still clearly remember the “1984 incident”, when an aviation tank blew up at the Cochin Refineries in Ambalamugal. It was one of the worst fires in the history of the Indian oil industry. Though there were no fatalities, many houses in the area suffered heavy damage.
“It was a thunderous blast,” recalls Pramod Lukose, a resident of Adoorkara. “We scampered for our lives and escaped by crossing the nearby wetland, which has also been taken over by the BPCL. I remember one family breaking a portion of the HOCL wall to seek refuge on its premises.”
Pankajakshan adds the quaint hinterland was quickly converted into an industrial belt, but the local communities were neglected. “Many families abandoned their houses, as air pollution took a toll on their health,” he says, trembling in frustration.
“My parents, who built the house in which I currently live in, had to relocate to another area due to health concerns. They now pay a hefty rent despite owning a house,”
Similarly, V K Surendran and his family also relocated from Ayyankuzhi to Chottanikkara, as his 12-year-old daughter, Avani, had suffered “recurring health issues because of pollution”.
“Respiratory illness is the most common issue among the residents. Some get skin allergies, too. My daughter is yet to fully recover,” says Surendran.
“We come to Ayyankuzhi often to check on our house. Whenever we stay here, our daughter has to be rushed to the hospital the very next day, as her respiratory allergies get triggered.”
Surendran adds that he had to take heft loans to build a new house in Chottanikkara. “This is not just my story. Most families that moved out from Ambalamugal have debts,” he says.
Varghese P M, a local resident, says people abandon their houses as there are few takers for property here. “Resale value is low,” he says.
“Banks refuse to offer home loans, as our land is located within the industrial holdings. Due to the pollution, renting out the houses also does not work. We get only migrant labourers as tenants, and at low rents.”
Ayyankuzhi residents, who are mostly daily wagers, have been urging BPCL and HOCL to come up with a rehabilitation package. “When we raise the demand to buy our land, the companies allege that we are creating a false narrative due to greed,” says Pramod.
“They had also informed the state government of their inability to acquire the land as no specific projects were in place to use the land. HOCL cited ‘lack of finance’ as the reason preventing them from taking over the land here.”
Then & now
Ambalamedu, a village located a few kilometres from the city, was once home to lush paddy fields and waterbodies. Farming was the primary source of livelihood in the region. The industrial units reportedly found Ambalamedu to be an ideal location as there were no educational institutions, hospitals, or government offices.
“Most of us are financially backward and we own just 5-6 cents each,” says Surendran. “The only benefit we receive from the companies is water supply for about two hours a day.”
Impact on health
In 2023, following the High Court’s intervention, a medical camp was organised here by the Ernakulam District Medical Office. As per data, 85 persons (44 females and 41 males) participated in the screening.
Dyspnea on exertion (40%), cough (23%), nasal allergy (13%), recurrent respiratory infections (11%), chest heaviness/discomfort (9%), and fatigue (4%) were common ailments found. At least seven people – all aged over 55 – were found to be suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
In the observation report, the medical team clearly stated that atmospheric pollution was one of the main causes of chronic lung diseases.
Sheena Mohanan, 52, is one of the residents who suffers from “breathing issues”. “Last year, thick fumes from HOCL blanketed the air. I have been suffering breathing issues. When the medical camp was held, the doctors informed me that some amount of smoke residue was seen in my lungs. I had to do an advanced check-up,” she says.
“Whatever is happening to us is a violation of basic human rights. We don’t understand why we have to beg for decent air to breathe.”
Another resident, Sindhu Aby, echoes the same concern. “The air is pungent at night and in the mornings. I often feel nauseous and get a headache because of it,” she says.
‘Not against development’
Even as they rail against being neglected, the residents chorus that they are not anti-development. “See, the industries haven’t followed the basic guidelines,” says Pramod. “There’s no green belt and buffer zone. This leaves us vulnerable to pollutants. We are not against development, but it should not be at the cost of human lives.”
What do the authorities say?
A BPCL spokesperson maintains that the unit has been functioning as per the rules laid by the pollution control board. “As a responsible corporation, we have put in place world-class systems,” he adds.
“Be it the effluent emission or atmospheric pollution, so far, no monitoring agency has found any fault on our side.”
When asked about the mandatory ‘green belt’, he says the refinery has 34% green cover.
An HOCL spokesperson says real-time data is sent to the state as well as Central pollution control boards. “We function as per the norms,” he adds. “Fumes are likely to come out of an operating industry. Residents fear it’s toxic pollutants, that’s not the case.”
Babu Raj, Ernakulam chief engineer of the Pollution Control Board, empathises with the residents. However, he maintains the situations is not alarming.
“We agree that residents are sandwiched between the walls of the units,” he says. “As per the district collector’s order, we went to monitor the area recently, but the residents of Ayyankuzhi blocked us. As per our observations, both the industrial units have complied with most of the mandatory norms. Readings from the real-time pollution monitors haven’t exceeded the limit as per our findings. The units have adequate green belt coverage. Moreover, newly planted greenery will take some time to grow.”
The residents argue that they fear officials might fudge data. “We don’t trust the equipment used by the board. Earlier, some officers agreed that they didn’t have advanced equipment. We want the Central board to conduct a thorough study,” says Pramod.
Last hope
The residents have been pinning their hopes on the state government’s plan to acquire the sandwiched strip of land in Ayyankuzhi to set up an e-waste recycling plant.
A recent site assessment by the the State Pollution Control Board, Kerala Solid Waste Management Project and Suchitwa Mission found that the area was ideal for a waste plant as it’s an industrial zone, with no schools or hospitals nearby.
“However, the government has not come up with any proposal to rehabilitate the residents. Despite being prodded by the High Court, the government keeps delaying the decision,” says Pankajakshan.