Fuel pump project ignites ire of Seraulim residents
Goa   25-Sep-2011

Nearly 315 Reliance Park Housing Complex residents and adjoining farmers having fields along the Colva – Seraulim road are up in arms against a proposed IOC petrol pump, which appears to have tacit support of authorities.

Over the past 4 years various ‘protest petitions’ have been sent to concerned local authorities and to the Union Petroleum Minister and Congress President Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi. In a recent turn of events the residents have reportedly managed to obtain a Stay Order on proceedings of an Appeal against a Seraulim Panchayat Resolution that had been filed by the IndianOil before the Additional Director of Panchayats- 1, Damodar Shanke.

As part of a government quota reserved for SC/ STs ( Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes), the IOC retail pump project, had been kept on hold since August 2007, as Seraulim Panchayat refrained from granting the mandatory Licence/ NOC in deference of the objections raised by residents.

Seraulim villagers had expressed fears that having a petrol pump in close proximity to a heavily populated residential colony would lead to ‘ air pollution from mutilated vapours from the pump, contamination of wells in the area, immense fire hazards, and problems of smog and its after effects’. Worst hit they emphasised would be persons with respiratory problems and children who would ‘ bear the brunt of continuous exposure to petroleum products’. Excerpts from the Panchayat resolution denying permission ( No Objection Certificate) to set- up the petrol pump station, if true, reveal that the IOC has gone through an extensive exercise in ‘ misrepresentation of facts’ before government officials so as to obtain the necessary clearances.

In petitions forwarded to Petroleum Minister, and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in August 2010, the residents and farmers from the area, expressed strong fear that proposed IOC retail outlet would cause “environmental pollution, leakage of petroleum, or fire hazard and, seepage into the soil contaminating the water and air. The Seraulim Panchayat in their debate over the petrol pump issue also endorsed this view.

However, even more shocking was the fact that another mandatory NOC that was issued by the Directorate of Fire & Emergency Services produced before the Seraulim Panchayat, was actually for setting up a petrol pump in Survey No 7/ 2- D of village Dhargal, in Pernem... several kilometres away from the proposed Seraulim site! Considering the gravity of the facts placed before it and in concurrence with its own investigation the Seraulim panchayat resolved not to issue any licenses, no objection certificates or permissions to the IOC for setting up the petrol pump. “ For reasons unknown, the Goa government appears to be bending itself backwards to help the IOC set up its retail outlet at Seraulim along the Margao- Colva road in order to comply with the Central government policy to appease SCs/ STs at the expense of the environment and health of our families,” the affected residents charge.

The rage of the Seraulim residents over the controversial petroleum retail outlet, notwithstanding, the Indian Oil Company continues to pursue the project unfazed. As a counter to the Seraulim panchayat’s resolution the IOC filed an Appeal before Additional Director of Panchayat- 1 Damodar Shanke in a bid to set aside the panchayat decision.

Housing society residents’ plea for being included as interveners in the case was dismissed by Shanke.

In conclusion, Shanke ruled that “since the interveners have failed to prove presently how their rights are affected, the applications of Feliciana Fernandes & others (tenants of adjacent paddy field) and that of Reliance Park Housing Society is without merits and hence the same deserves to be dismissed.” But, for the tenacity of the RPHS and the aggrieved tillers the matter would have rested there and the IOC and the Goa government may have had its way.