Gujarat
Jiav, Dipli, Bamroli, Bhestan, Bhimrad and Sarsana
,
Bhudia
,
Surat
Published : 12 July, 2014   |   Last updated - 24 Jun, 2024
Koli Community Demands Closure of Industrial Unit Dumping Hazardous Waste in Surat
Reported by
Aditi Patil
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Updated by
Anupa Kujur
Households affected
4000
People Affected
2008
Year started
273
Land area affected
Households affected
4000
People Affected
2008
Year started
273
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Industry
Reason/Cause of conflict
Textile
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Urban and Rural
Ended
1
Summary

In Surat, residents of over eight coastal villages are opposed to a nearby industrial unit, Colourtex. They have accused the unit of flouting the pollution control norms and dumping toxic waste in Budhia, village as well as underground in the company premises. The protesting villages, including Budhia, Jiav, Dipli, Bamroli, Bhestan, Bhimrad, and Sarsana, are dominantly inhabited by Koli community.  Ever since the unit has been established, the villagers have complained of the companys failure to adhere to the norms. However, without any relief. According to them, the company is responsible for polluting the water and air in the region, which has adverse impact on the health of the people, the water sources, and their agricultural lands. On June 01, 2015, the agitations turned violent following a confrontation between the police and the protestors. Reportedly, the villagers received intel that company trucks were moving to illegally dump waste in a nearby area. However, following an argument, the police lathicharged the protestors, and detained over 100 of them. The police also filed a case against the protestors.   In June 2016, over 200 villagers marched under the banner of Kantha Vibhag Yuva Koli Samaj Parivartan Trust, to submit a memorandum of their concerns to the District Collector. According to a news report, the Trust claimed that the company was violating the environmental provisions at its Treatment Stabilisation Disposal Facility site. They demanded the state government and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to act upon their complaint. On February 11, 2017, the protestors collected with the support of the trust to stage a sitin (dharna) near MTB college in Surat. As per a news report, the locals demanded to shut down the industrial unit. They also claimed that the location of the unit, which is only 200 meters from Budhia village, violates the norm of distancing hazardous units from habitations. According to the locals, in Budhia, the closeness to the dumping ground is also polluting the lake and well. The villagers use the lake for multiple purposes including washing of clothes and irrigating farms. Their cattle drink water from the same lake. Therefore, the hazardous waste is having severe impact on their health.  The Trust threatened to take the protests to outside the GPCB office in Gandhinagar in lieu of a response from the administration. Subsequently, in October 2017 the Trust submitted a memorandum to the district collector stating that the protests were nonviolent in nature. It requested the administration to withdraw the cases filed against the villagers, who belong to the Koli community, reported a news article.

2
Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Opposition against environmental degradation

Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources

Complaint against procedural violations

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Urban and Rural

Type of Land

Common

Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

4

Type of investment:

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Author
Reported by
Aditi Patil

Gujarat

Kumar Sambhav is a social entrepreneur and award-winning journalist, leading innovative research in accountability investigations. He is the founder of Land Conflict Watch and is currently working as India Research Lead with Princeton University’s Digital Witness Lab.

Read More

Latest updates
Rajasthan
Rajasthan

UIT Bikaner's Jorbeer Housing Project on Stalls Following Rajasthan High Court Order

Rajasthan
Rajasthan

Jaipur Development Authority Acquires Land for Township Project, Ending Conflict

Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh

Farmers land acquired under Mansarovar Housing Scheme in Lucknow

Maharashtra
Maharashtra

Citizens unite against cycle track around Powai, Vihar Lakes in Mumbai

Jharkhand
Jharkhand

Families displaced by Mandal Dam in Jharkhand opppose project resumption

Jharkhand
Jharkhand

Jharkhand approves Adani's thermal plant, farmers allege violation of LARR Act

Gujarat
Gujarat

Pastoral Community in Gujarat's Banni Grasslands Demands Titles Recognising Community Forest Rights

Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh

Builder Encroaches Upon Farmers Land in Gosaiganj Lucknow, 150 Allottees in Lurch

Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Opposition against environmental degradation

Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources

Complaint against procedural violations

Koli Community Demands Closure of Industrial Unit Dumping Hazardous Waste in Surat

Reported by

Aditi Patil

Legal Review by

Edited by

Updated by

Updated by

Published on

February 24, 2017

May 17, 2022

Edited on

February 24, 2017

Sector

Industry

Reason or Cause of Conflict

Textile

Starting Year

2008

Land Area Affected (in Hectares)

273

ha

Households Affected by Conflict

People Affected by Conflict

4000

State

Gujarat

Sector

Industry

People Affected by Conflict

4000

Households Affected by Conflict

Land Area Affected (in Hectares)

273

ha

Starting Year

2008

Location of Conflict

Bhudia

Jiav, Dipli, Bamroli, Bhestan, Bhimrad and Sarsana

Surat

Reason or Cause of Conflict

Textile

Land Conflict Summary

In Surat, residents of over eight coastal villages are opposed to a nearby industrial unit, Colourtex. They have accused the unit of flouting the pollution control norms and dumping toxic waste in Budhia, village as well as underground in the company premises. The protesting villages, including Budhia, Jiav, Dipli, Bamroli, Bhestan, Bhimrad, and Sarsana, are dominantly inhabited by Koli community.  Ever since the unit has been established, the villagers have complained of the companys failure to adhere to the norms. However, without any relief. According to them, the company is responsible for polluting the water and air in the region, which has adverse impact on the health of the people, the water sources, and their agricultural lands. On June 01, 2015, the agitations turned violent following a confrontation between the police and the protestors. Reportedly, the villagers received intel that company trucks were moving to illegally dump waste in a nearby area. However, following an argument, the police lathicharged the protestors, and detained over 100 of them. The police also filed a case against the protestors.   In June 2016, over 200 villagers marched under the banner of Kantha Vibhag Yuva Koli Samaj Parivartan Trust, to submit a memorandum of their concerns to the District Collector. According to a news report, the Trust claimed that the company was violating the environmental provisions at its Treatment Stabilisation Disposal Facility site. They demanded the state government and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to act upon their complaint. On February 11, 2017, the protestors collected with the support of the trust to stage a sitin (dharna) near MTB college in Surat. As per a news report, the locals demanded to shut down the industrial unit. They also claimed that the location of the unit, which is only 200 meters from Budhia village, violates the norm of distancing hazardous units from habitations. According to the locals, in Budhia, the closeness to the dumping ground is also polluting the lake and well. The villagers use the lake for multiple purposes including washing of clothes and irrigating farms. Their cattle drink water from the same lake. Therefore, the hazardous waste is having severe impact on their health.  The Trust threatened to take the protests to outside the GPCB office in Gandhinagar in lieu of a response from the administration. Subsequently, in October 2017 the Trust submitted a memorandum to the district collector stating that the protests were nonviolent in nature. It requested the administration to withdraw the cases filed against the villagers, who belong to the Koli community, reported a news article.

Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Opposition against environmental degradation

Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources

Complaint against procedural violations

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Urban and Rural

Type of Land

Common

Type of Common Land

Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

4

Type of investment:

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Legal Data

Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict

Environmental Laws

Legislations/Policies Involved

Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006
Schedule I, Item 5(f): This is a category B project under the EIA
Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
Section 24: Prohibition on disposal of toxic matters in water bodies
  1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  2. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  4. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  5. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  6. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  7. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute

What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?

What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?

Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:

Violation of environmental laws

Legal Status:

Out of Court

Status of Case In Court

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

Name of the adjudicatory body

Name(s) of the Court(s)

Case Number

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

Arrest/detention/imprisonment

Lathicharge/teargas/pellets

Reported Details of the Violation:

In June 2015, the protests turned confrontational between the police and villagers. Following which, over 100 protestors were detained and at least 10 police personnel were injured.

Date of Violation

June 1, 2015

Location of Violation

Sachin-Magdalla Road near Budia village

Additional Information

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

Gujarat Pollution Control Board

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Colourtex Industries Ltd

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Kantha Vibhag Yuva Koli Samaj Parivartan Trust

Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Resources

Resources Related to Conflict

  • News Articles Related to the Conflict:
  • Documents Related to the Conflict:
  • Links Related to the Conflict:

Images

Image Credit:  

Image Credit:  

Video

Other Land Conflicts in Gujarat

cross
    Not a member yet?
    Sign up now
    Conflicts Map
    Conflict Database
    About Us