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Updated by
Published on
September 2, 2016
September 2, 2016
Updated on
January 17, 2022
September 2, 2016
On January 14, 2022, the police in Odisha cracked down on the residents of Dhinkia village in Jagatsinghpur district, resorting to lathicharge and arrests. Clashes began when the police reportedly prevented about a thousand people from inspecting their betel leaf plantations.
According to the Jindal Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (JPSS), at least 30 people were injured, including women and children. The police arrested five members of the group,including their leader, Debendra Swain, and social activist Narendra Mohanty.
LCW spoketo JPSS spokesperson Prashant Paikray, who informed that the police have been guarding the area for more than 45 days, blocking public access to the betel leaf plantations, on which the livelihoods of the residents depend. He alleged that the police had attacked the people three-four times since December and arrested many on multiple occasions.
According to Paikray, the plantations stand on the proposed site for an integrated steel plant by Jindal Steel Works (JSW), which the residents of Dhinkia have been opposing for more than a decade. The JSW plant, which received forest clearance in May 2011, has been proposed on the same location as the earlier POSCO steel project.
On June 22, 2005, the Pohang Steel Company (POSCO) of South Korea had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Odisha government to construct a $12-billion integrated steel plant in Jagatsinghpur. The project required 4,000 acres of land, of which 2,700 acres were forestland. But the public opposed the project as they were at risk of being displaced. The struggle to halt the project lasted for 12 years (during which the JSW Steel Plant was also proposed and received forest clearance). Facing stiff resistance and failing to get an unimpeachable environmental clearance, POSCO finally withdrew the project in 2016.
The local communities, in the meantime, had filed claims for both individual and community forest rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, as they traditionally used the land to cultivate betel vines, paddy and vegetables. In addition to demanding the return of their cultivable land after POSCO’s withdrawal, the people also demanded the government to urgently process their forest rights claims. Paikray claims that the government is yet to recognise their rights.
The protests against POSCO’s steel plant have now replicated in the JSW project. A public hearing was organised on December 20, 2019, which was denounced as a ‘farce’ by the residents as the project-affected people reportedly did not participate in the meeting. The village council (palli sabha) of Dhinkia, too, passed a resolution against the project.
Sankar Prasad Pani, an advocate based in the state, told LCW that following the resolution, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change issued a letter to the State Pollution Control Board to examine the issues raised.
“The JSW steel project is yet to receive an environmental clearance, but the government, joining hands with the police, has started to cut down trees, destroy our plantations and acquire land. We have clearly stated that we do not want any project in the area. If the government wants to build plants or factories, it will have to do so over our dead bodies. We will not accept any compensation or rehabilitation package. We do not want any project or any Jindal on our land,” Paikray told LCW.
Talking about their pending forest rights claims, he added that during the anti-POSCO struggle, the government had set up three committees to check the implementation of forest rights in the area, but till date their rights remain unrecognised.
The JPSS has reached out to civil society groups and political parties for support. “Our people have been protesting in a non-violent manner, but the police have resorted to force and have also levelled fake charges against us to discredit our stuggle. Even the company’s goons have threatened us, but we are determined to not give up our land. We will continue to protest in a democratic way,” Paikray said.
On January 16, representatives of civil society organisations wrote a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, highlighting the ‘ongoing crackdown’ and calling for ‘urgent intervention’.
LCW tried to speak to others who were victims of the police action, but following the arrests of JPSS members, no one was willing to come forward and speak openly. LCW was also told that many people in the village have gone into hiding as the police are allegedly making door-to-door visits to arrest protesters.
Demand to get back acquired land
Demand for legal recognition of land rights
Refusal to give up land for the project
Scrapping of the steel project
Rural
Both
Forest and Non-Forest
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
51000
Type of investment:
Investment Expected
Year of Estimation
Page Number In Investment Document:
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Forest and Scheduled Area Governance Laws, Land Acquisition Laws, Environmental Laws
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.
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
Yes
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-implementation/violation of FRA
Non-implementation/violation of LARR Act
Lack of legal protection over land rights
Violation of environmental laws
Controversial land acquisition by the government
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Yes
Name of the adjudicatory body
Odisha Human Rights Commission
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Lathicharge/teargas/pellets
Arrest/detention/imprisonment
Judicial harassment
Blackmail/threats/intimidation
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Yes
Reported Details of the Violation:
Police lathicharged thousands of people who had gathered to inspect their plantations. At least 30 were injured, including women and children. In the past, the police have reportedly levelled fake charges against protesters and arrested them, and they are reportedly making door-to-door visits to arrest protesters, forcing many to go into hiding. JSW's musclemen have also allegedly threatened people.
Date of Violation
January 14, 2022
Location of Violation
Dhinkia village, Jagatsinghpur district
Nature of Protest
Objections as part of official procedures
Campaigns (grassroots organisations/press releases/media)
Complaints/petitions/letters/memorandums to officials
Protests/marches
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Department of Steel and Mines
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Jindal Group
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, Jindal Pratirodh Sangram Samiti
Police resort to lathicharge in Dhinkia
Image Credit:
Jindal Pratirodh Sangram Samiti
An injured woman and her child
Image Credit:
Jindal Pratirodh Sangram Samiti
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