BPCL Petrochemical Project: Threat to Livelihoods and Environment

Agriculture & Rural

Posted by AI on 2025-09-14 19:55:16 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-19 10:46:20

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The proposed Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) refinery and petrochemical complex in Andhra Pradesh could displace entire villages and devastate farming and fishing communities, warns the Human Rights Forum (HRF).

The 6,000 acre project, planned for the districts of Nellore, will threaten agriculture and fisheries across at least a dozen villages and risk irreparable damage to water sources such as the Elkeru river and Buckingham Canal.

Previously, planning permission for a solar panel project on 2,500 acres in Chevuru was diverted to BPCL, sparking criticism from HRF who label this move "illegal and unacceptable". They query the scale of the land acquisition, noting that comparable refineries in Tamil Nadu and Visakhapatnam occupy a far smaller footprint.

Local residents have voiced strong opposition to the scheme, repeating fears of displacement, pollution, and the loss of livelihoods. The proposed Rs 1 lakh crore investment scheme promises just 1,250 permanent jobs and HRF believe the social and environmental costs far outweigh the benefits.

As such, they urge the Andhra Pradesh government to halt the project pending a full investigation.

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