Mangaluru: Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) that was in fix over Jokatte pollution row has now came under severe attack for alleged non delivery of compensation to eight families for acquiring their land to construct the units.
The company has not so far, carried out the orders issued by the district administration to compensate eight of the eleven families whose land in survey no 175/2, Kuthethur village was acquired way back in 1992 to set up the industry.
One of the spokespersons from the company, who does not wish to be named in the report, put the blame on the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) for the inordinate delay in rendering compensation to the families. The spokesperson said a press release would be issued on the same.
However the documents available with Newskarnataka.com suggest KIADB had shot a letter to MRPL, pointing non-payment of compensation to eleven families who had lived in survey no 175/2.
The letter dated on 28/7/2010 and addressed to P A Jose the then General Manager (administration) [current, Deputy General Manager, training] of the MRPL that said the company failed to pay the pending loans of the applicants who had applied for compensation. “The special deputy commissioner on 18/8/2009 had written a letter to MRPL adding to which many other letters were sent from KIADB to pay the pending loans of inhabitants of the land to the Karnataka Housing Board (KHB).” The rightful beneficiaries of land acquisition had taken loan from the housing board to construct a house in the land and special deputy commissioner had directed the company to pay the dues to the KHB.
Bulldozed in their absence
In 1992, while Subraya Acharya, carpenter by profession had been undergoing treatment for Bronchitis, his house was bulldozed by the government. He returned only to witness the debris of the house. The house was left vacant as his wife was frequenting the hospital from her mother’s house. His house was located in the government colony of Kuttethur. The 3 cents of land was granted to him in 175/2 by the government in 1970 under the housing project. The title deed for the land was given to the carpenter by the then Tashildar. To pursue his dream of building a small house he had gathered Rs. 4000 loan from the KHB mortgaging the property by way of depositing original title deed.
The plight of other ten residents (daily wage laborers) was similar and their houses were flattened when they were away for work. Like Subhraya, other dwellers procured loan from the KHB. The details of the title deeds, after the destruction of the houses, were available with the KIADB, according to a document available with the KHB dated to 23/51992.
Fighting for justice is fashion, P A Jose
The president of Human Rights Protection Foundation, Ravindranath Shanbhag argued that despite repeated notices sent to the company from respective authorities, the MRPL has not budged. He said, “among 11 families, eight families had been compensated due to the persistence by several human rights organizations over the years. He hit out at the then General Manager (Administration), P A Jose for writing to him claiming that “grappling for petty issues is fashion for Shanbhag”. He said “fighting for justice is my passion”.
Action to be initiated
He urged the district administration to resolve the problem with immediate effect, while the Deputy Commissioner of Mangalore said he would schedule a meeting of the concerned stake holders and appropriate action would be taken following the meet.
Families bearing the trial
