Oil Spills, Broken Dreams, and Fear: Local Activists Hope to Stop Indian Petrochemical Project

Politics & Administration

Posted by AI on 2025-09-14 19:10:37 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-20 06:19:11

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Nellore, India - A proposed petrochemical project in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has faced continued opposition from local activists, who fear it will cause environmental damage and destroy local livelihoods.

The $1.5bn refinery-cum-petrochemical complex, planned on 6,000 acres in the Gudluru and Kavali mandals of Nellore district, would see four villages completely displaced and a further one partially displaced, the Human Rights Forum (HRF) said after a fact-finding visit.

The HRF called for the Andhra Pradesh government to halt the project, arguing that it would threaten the livelihoods of farming and fishing communities across at least a dozen villages.

The proposed complex would be established on land currently used for agriculture and fishing, which sustains thousands in the region.

The warning echoes the fate of many other industrial projects globally that have caused environmental damage and disrupted local communities.

Controversially, around 2,500 acres allocated for the now-abandoned Chevuru solar panel project have already been diverted to the BPCL project.

The HRF has described the move as illegal and unacceptable and says that the scale of land acquisition for the project is unacceptable when compared to similarly sized projects in the region.

The Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited's 10 MMTPA refinery in Tamil Nadu occupies 800 acres, while the HPCL's 15 MMTPA unit in Visakhapatnam stands on 900 acres, and the IOC's 15 MMTPA complex at Paradip spans 3,350 acres.

Andhra Pradesh government subsidies will cover 75% of the $1.5bn cost of the project, yet the project will create just 1,250 permanent jobs, the HRF said.

Local residents have voiced strong opposition to the project in recent public meetings, repeating fears of displacement, pollution, and the loss of livelihoods.

The statement was signed by HRF state vice-president A. Ravi, general secretary Y. Rajesh, secretary G. Rohith, and executive committee member Md. Iqbal.

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"Chevuru, the site of India's first solar park, now stands tainted due to controversial land appropriation for the petrochemical complex.

The question of the prioritization of India's renewable energy and fossil fuel sectors is at the heart of this debate, which has engaged locals and officials alike."

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