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Legal Review by
Edited by
Updated by
Published on
March 25, 2019
May 17, 2022
Edited on
March 25, 2019
Since 2017, the Larsen & Toubro (L&T) electrical company has been building new electrical towers and transmission lines as part of the expansion of the 765kilowatt AngulJharsuguda transmission line in Sambalpur district. Originally proposed in 2011 by the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), the project received permission in December 2016 for the clearance of some 461 hectares of forestland**. *The new electrical lines will help meet the electricity requirements across the southern power grid in Odisha, which has otherwise remained underpowered.
Under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, a company would pay the cost of damages caused to structures, crops or trees but would not compensate for the land acquired underneath the transmission lines. In an interview in August 2017, Sambalpur district subcollector Prasanna Das said that a compensation package for damages incurred for the AngulJharsuguda transmission line was being prepared for the villagers, which would be released before the scheduled construction of the transmission line* **on August 12, 2017. However, the compensation was not distributed by the time the construction began.
The village residents claim that L&T was forcefully laying electricity wires. When they confronted the officials, the police intervened and assaulted them. They also beat up a women from the village and locked her inside a police vehicle. She was later admitted to the hospital with severe injuries to her legs, back and chest. Her daughter was also assaulted by a member of the POWERGRID.
In September 2017, the Odisha government amended the Electricity Act of 2003 and passed a resolution that directs companies to now pay compensation for laying down transmission lines. As per the new guidelines, landholders are entitled to compensation for the loss of any land due to the laying of transmission lines, in addition to any damages incurred to crops, trees or existing structures on the land.
On September 30, the affected people received a compensation package in excess of legal requirements after L&T officials met them. Following this resolution, work on the project resumed.
Demand for compensation
Rural
Both
Forest, 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):
₹
Type of investment:
Year of Estimation
Page Number In Investment Document:
Has the Conflict Ended?
Yes
When did it end?
September 30, 2017
Why did the conflict end?
After a confrontation between the police and villagers in 2017, the Odisha government amended the Electricity Act of 2003 to provide compensation for land, in addition to compensation for damages on the land. L&T officials handed over the compensation to the affected villagers on September 30, after which the matter was resolved.
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Forest and Scheduled Area Governance Laws, Other
Legislations/Policies Involved
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
Non-payment of compensation/promised compensation
Incorrect estimation of compensation
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:
Physical attack
Other harassment
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
In 2017, a family was assaulted by L&T company officials and their police escorts. When members of the PGCL arrived at Dhira Sahua's home to forcibly lay the transmission lines on her land, they beat her up and locked her inside a police vehicle. She was later admitted to the hospital, with severe injuries to her legs, back and chest. Her daughter was also assaulted by a member of the PGCL; Land seizure and crop destruction: According to a village resident, L&T seized three to four acres of his farmland to lay electrical wires, taking away his only source of livelihood.
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Loindamala, Sambalpur, Odisha
Nature of Protest
Campaigns (grassroots organisations/press releases/media)
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Odisha Police; District Magistrate, Sambalpur
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:
Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, Larsen & Toubro (L&T India - Electrical & Automation)
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Aam Aadmi Party
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?
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