PUBLIC HEARING Public Hearing News Paper Advertisement and Photos

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Time Bound Action Plan for Issues Raised During the Public Hearing S.No Questions by the Participants Response by Project Fund Time proponent of IOCL Allocated if Bound applicable Action Plan Mrs. Kalavathi, Athipattu Pudhunagar 1. The speaker welcomed the collector The project is envisaged During the 2 and all others. She said that sir had to be operated with the years of the been saying so much about safety but existing manpower only construction ten days back, there was a gas smell post commissioning. period. and they switched off the cylinder on Employment the assumption that smell is coming opportunity is available out from their houses. This has been during the construction happening twice or thrice in a month. Phase. The construction Further, she asked IOCL as to what is a technologically they have done for Athipattu advanced activity. Pudhunagar. This was the first People from the Local company to come here but they have Community will be not done anything so far to her encouraged to work with village. the contractors for the She explained to the District project in various Collector that hardly any person is mechanical and employed by Athipattu Pudhunagar, engineering works and only 20 to 25 persons from wherein they will gain athipattu & athipattu Pudunagar were valuable experience to working here. She said that villagers help them in the job had informed to the District Collector market. last time about the issuance of patta and drainage cleaning in their village and now something has been done. She said that only three persons are working that day and requested the District Collector to instruct the BDO to arrange for 10 more persons to clean the drainage so as to complete the work before the rainy season since there is 18 street to clean. Further, she requested IOCL that in her village there are many literates and some have finished engineering, diploma also., Hence, at least in this expansion, they have to provide jobs to the educated persons of their village. Finally, she explained about the damage during the Vardha Cyclone- roof tiles of the school in that village was severely damaged and it’s unsafe for those children studying in that school. She asked IOCL to at least change the roof of that school to a concrete structure and that the school has to be renovated. Likewise, the building of Women’s Group was heavily damaged, it is better if that has to be renovated. Mr. Ambalavanan, Athipattu 2. Greeted all. He stated that nearly, 18 The project is envisaged During the 2 years have gone and only now he has to be operated with the years of the heard about an expansion of the plant. existing manpower only construction Now he is happy to know about the post commissioning. period. plant expansion. Further, he Employment continued that IOCL has mentioned opportunity is available that 250 staffs are working at present, during the construction in that 40 persons are IOCL Phase. The construction employees and 130 persons are is a technologically contract workers. He raised a advanced activity. question to IOCL as to 250 staffs was People from the Local mentioned as working in the plant. Community will be He asked the organization to allocate encouraged to work with the remaining to his village people, in the contractors for the front of the collector. Further, he said project in various that so far IOCL has not done mechanical and anything for the past 16 years for engineering works atthipattu puthunagar people then wherein they will gain what it was that they will be doing by valuable experience to giving embroidery training in future. help them in the job Further, he mentioned that IOCL market. staff’s company jeep and other personnel come to the plant by crossing that drainage of their village only, but still now no steps have been taken to clean that drainage by IOCL from the time of this the company came to this area. Further, he questioned IOCL he questioned IOCL that they have mentioned that toilets and other things were constructed as part of CSR for the expansion without pointing out the name and place where those were constructed. He asked them to show the toilets and other things in real. Further, he mentioned that IOCL as saying that they will construct the water tank and provide water to village people in the future plan. When will it be done? Further, he stated that for the past 16 years, IOCL has not given even a minimum wages to their people working in the plant from Puthunagar and Vallur village. IOCL should provide employment to the people of that area by giving preference. Further, he pointed out that their people are working in the plant on a contract basis and even engineering graduates are working on contract basis. He questioned about the correctness of a number of workers as 40 company staffs and contract labors of 130 numbers, and then how 250 people can work in view of the above figures. He said that they are not doing anything for IOCL earmarks 2% of their employees, and the families who previous year’s Retained are wholly dependent on them. But Profit as the Budget for Within two they are making promises for the various CSR activities in years, of village. the country, and there is start of He further added that they know how provision for taking up Construction much crores of rupees the company developmental facilities was making a profit and that they in the surrounding areas selling a cylinder at a cost of above of the corporations unit. Rs. 400/-. They also know the cost of To prevent overlap and purchasing the gas by the company. wastage, the corporation IPPL had come there just five years will identify and take up back. They have constructed a water in consultation with the tank. He raised the question to IOCL Local Administration “Have you constructed a toilet in various projects Like Athipattu Pudhunagar or constructed RO Plant for Drinking a road, a school, at least a compound Water, Solar Lights wall for the temple? Did you offer at additional facility to least food at the time of the flood? schools. Nothing even you have a canteen facility inside the plant. Have you made any arrangement to provide food for us at one time in those three days of the flood? Your company is on this road, have you opened this gate and invited at least 10 persons for providing food” he asked. He wanted IOCL to take up with the Local Administration to get the work done in their villages. And IOCL having come first should lead by example in doing such work. Further, he requested to the district collector about the patta for their land. If there is no patta, they cannot avail the housing loan. They were asking for patta only to construct their houses. Though Government jobs were given, patta was not issued. The persons at that time were illiterate. If they had been educated, they would have lived well. Now they are suffering a lot without drainage facility and mosquito menace. Further, he stated about the safety that a lot of garbage’s gathered before this company, they are not able to remove that which all are thrown by yourself. If it starts to burn their village is the first place gets affected. First, the company should remove the garbage gathered before the Company. That will be helpful to Pollution Control Board also. Further, he requested the district collector to depute at least 10 more persons to clean the drainage in around 18 streets in their village so as to finish the work earlier in the rainy days. He also informed the road which is called as Union road laid 10 years back was not yet laid again even IOCL will extend patchwork was not done till now. necessary assistance in “Please consider our request and do the time of Natural the needful”- he said. disasters. Other issues Finally, he requested the District pertaining to Patta will collector to insist IOCL strongly and be sorted out by District vehemently to provide the Administration. employment for the youngsters who have come here for this meet. Suggestions regarding He concluded by thanking IOCL and drainage facilities will the District Collector for giving him be considered with the an opportunity to voice her feedback support of District and requests. Administration. Mr. M. Sridhar Athipattu 3. He welcoming the gathering. He To prevent overlap, he Within two stated that issuance of patta, cleaning corporation will identify years, of the drainage works are going on good and take up in start of after the last visit of the district consultation with the Construction collector to their place. Local Administration He said IOCL has mentioned that various projects Like environment was boosted to 40% by RO Plant for Drinking planting all type of native trees like Water, Solar Lights and neem etc in their plant but there is no additional facility to use for them by that. They can’t say schools. anything good which the company has done for athipattu puthunagar. No works have been done by them. He said “IOCL said R.O. Plant, as well as other works, are in the proposal stage. When no work has been done so far, what they will do with the proposal. They are saying all these things here before us. However, the district collector should give strict instructions to them that this should be done at any cost. IOCL has mentioned that they have a pond to store rainwater and they are using it for their purpose and also they procure water from CMWSSB. But for the villagers, there is no water source what use it was for them when the company store water inside their plant for their own purpose. He informed that there was a vacant land near their village puthunagar and whether IOCL will form a lake or pond type to store the rainwater for village purpose. He stated that his village was trapped like an island surrounded by industries. The entire village is covered by dust. They have informed the same to the Pollution Control Board. Coal is being spread the entire village. They cannot show that to them. He further requested TNPCB to come and explain how they have to protect themselves from coal and dust. He explained that there is a high mast light in the plant but they don’t have street lights on the road. They have diesel generators for the emergency power supply but they don’t have power supply sometimes. Here only heavy vehicles are plying, they are afraid to drive two-wheelers and even for crossing roads. The road in their village is very narrow and an ambulance can’t pass that area quickly. So kindly extend the width of the road or kindly construct a subway so that people of the village can cross the road without an accident. Further, he requested to provide a proper drainage facility in Athipattu Puthunagar village for which we will be grateful to the government until their death. Ennore creek was 3.5 km away from their village as said by IOCL but there is no need to construct up to 3.5 Kms. It is enough if you provide them closed drainage IOCL will coordinate up to just 1 KM. On behalf of with the district Panchayat, they will do it within the administration for any village. welfare scheme. He added that there is a vacant land opposite to IOC. Water is always Suggestions regarding there. There is no way to drain. It is drainage facilities will the best place for aquatic animals be considered with the because both the drainage water and support of District the rainwater are stagnating there. Administration. That land is owned by a private person. This is a big problem please As per their advice, we consider developing this too. have already cleaned He further stated that as far as that and deepened the area was concerned, they have Drainage channel over learned the existence of Pollution 300 Mtrs length for the Control Board from the last few drainage of Flood weeks. They do not know what waters. actions they have taken so far. Then, the Government School had constructed 26 years back and it was constructed using roof tiles. Now because of Vardha Cyclone, the school was severely damaged so it has to be restored by a concrete structure. He concluded by requesting the district collector that issue of patta is going on for the past one week. The Patta to be issued should be a valuable one for taking a home loan for construction oh house and for education loan. He concluded by thanking IOCL and the district collector for giving him an opportunity to voice his feedback and requests.

Mrs. Tamilarasi, Athipattu Pudhunagar 4. She introduced herself as belonging The coal Dust problem Within 2 to Athipattu Pudhunagar and that her is not on account of years from elder and younger brothers had IOCL. Regarding other the date of explained all the grievances of the points, IOCL will extend start of village. She requested that action necessary assistance in Construction should definitely be taken as they are consultation with . suffering a lot of children. District Administration She explained that the people in the Under CSR activities. village and children are suffering a lot. Now, they are talking about Pollution Control Board. They came to know about the existence of pollution control board for this area a few days before. Even they cannot stand outside for few minutes because of the coal dust get to settle all over the body. Because of that, children cannot play outside. They are inhaling all these dust daily. She requests PCB to take action to solve this problem. She stated that the school in their village was only upto VIII standard. It has to be upgraded as higher secondary school so that it will be convenient for their children to study here within the village without moving to nearby area schools for higher standard studies. However, they are working on daily wage so are unable to arrange for higher studies in private schools. She requested the district collector to upgrade their village school to the higher secondary standard. She further explained that two months before, a chain snatching happened to a lady in this village road. 50% of their village ladies were going for daily wage works. Here there are two wine shops in highway and ladies going to work by train have to cross this wine shop to reach the Athipattu Puthunagar railway station. There is absolutely no safety for them while on the way back to home because of the alcohol drinkers. So she requested the district collector to provide safety by changing the location of existing two wine shops away from the village. Further, she added that due to heavy movement of trucks and vehicles in their village road they are not able to cross the road safely and quickly. Almost for about 10 min, one has to stand on a side to cross the road. She requested to kindly arrange and install a traffic signal and crossing at the village road for quick and safe road crossing. Finally, she requested the district collector to arrange them a valid patta but not a free patta so that they are able to get home loans from the government for constructing concrete house since they were living in huts and tiled houses. Other than these the drainages and sewers in their village has to be cleaned so that their living standards will be improved.

Bullet Driver, Athipattu 5. He stated that drivers in this plant IOCL will extend were driving vehicles to Bombay, assistance for smooth Mangalore & Kerala where they are flow of traffic providing facing many public problems. In this traffic signage in the area, their problem is only with vicinity of policemen’s & traffic police. Without unit/habitation. knowing the difficulty of driving this heavy vehicle with LPG in it, they are giving trouble to the drivers by stopping the vehicles suddenly without any prior notice. It is the very risky situation and it may cause an accident when the speed of the fully loaded liquid vehicle is suddenly stopped. All this is for just getting 100 rupees from drivers. He said a practical example that they had experienced a situation like this in kannanore area where he saw an incident just 500 meters ahead of him that a bullet vehicle burst and 40 persons died on spot. Though they are following safety norms and instructions given to the drivers from IOCL, policemen and traffic police are not aware of that, this is the problem they were facing daily. Other than this, they are facing water quality problems in this plant facility for drinking and bathing purposes. He explained that he came here five days before and from then he faced problems like drinking water was not pure and floating materials in that water and the itches in his body due to the bad quality of bathing water. So he explained this to the district collector and request the IOCL to clear their problems.

Mr. Kubendran, Athipattu Pudhunagar 6. He stated that he is working as a IOCL will address the Is a driver for the past 27 years and he is issues as per the continuous the leader of Gas Lorry Drivers in company policy. process IOCL. He said that when they made a request for certain facilities, IOCL fulfilling it even though it takes a few months. Further, he stated that their grievance was that there will be a lorry tender once in three years in which the trucks will be engaged through tender. They had entered a wage agreement by entering negotiation through CITU for enhancement of their salaries and allowances. The agreement expired two years back. Now IOCL has changed it to five years. Even after two years, when they discussed the matter with the Transport Association Owners and Dealer Association Owners, both of them are showing their hands to one another. He said the drivers are happy about the visit of Collector Amma. They had not been able to meet the Collector hence now they are representing their grievances to a collector because of her visit. Further, he reported that now when they talk about their salary and allowances, IOC says don’t talk about that. Even there is an association, IOC is not allowing the Association Leader to have a discussion. There is no permission for Leader of Drivers’ Association. He is not allowed inside to talk on behalf of the drivers. During this year tender, they have not represented their grievances to Indian Oil Corporation G.M. They believe that he will do the necessary if they represent the matter. The entire workforce has faith in him. They have not represented this grievance. However, they are talking with them through Owners’ Association and Transport Association. Though they don’t want to represent their grievances, the drivers are finding fault with the leader of the Association. This is unreasonable. He reported that the delay is on the part of Owner Association. He stated that, in the past, there was only Transport Association. So, they invited them at that time. They allowed them for discussion and requested the Association to run smoothly in a good manner. He stated that previously they had a G.M. named Thiru Sivakumar. He said: “Kubendran, do your duty without bringing to the level of IOCL. Don’t go for a strike. I will increase your salary and allowance by discussing with the management without any problem. Now, he has been transferred. New Sir has come now. Finally, he requested the Collector madam to talk to the management and sort out their grievances. Mr. Prakash, Athipattu Pudhunagar 7. He stated that there is no drainage in IOCL can the local - Within 2 their area. He also reported that Last Administration as and years from week Collector has come here to the when the need arises. the date of company at the downside of the commissioni bridge. Now she has also come here. ng of our In all the places, the demand put forth expansion by all is one and the same. He also program. said that there was a meeting two years back conducted by the nearby HPCL Company. At that time, Mr. Veeraragava Rao was the Collector. He came here. They have placed the same demand before him. When the company was under construction, it was told that they will fulfill all the demands. They were also under the impression that they will do it. Now, they have completed 40% to 50% of the Company work. They have also raised compound around the company. Filling work completed. They started tank work. Everything has been done. However, one of the demands of them i.e. drainage has not been fulfilled. Further, he stated that there was a heavy flood. Water had come up to their shoulder. And then they rescued their grandmothers from the flood and dropped them on the road by putting them on their shoulders. He said everybody had helped them. He reported that there was a distance of 2km between the river and their village. In between, HPCL was there and because of that company, they got a flood in their village. Thereafter, another company comes at a distance of 1 km. The height of the basement of the building of that company is 1 ft. higher than him. The distance between their village and the river is reduced to ½ km. The water storage area of 1/2 to 4 km was filled with buildings. In the present situation, if rain comes today, we cannot imagine the height of the flood. Because, if there is a drainage facility, water will be discharged. We may be satisfied. But there is no facility to discharge the water. No arrangement has been made so far. At that time, we had President, Councilor, Ward Members and because of their presence, HPCL dug the drainage road. In spite of that, they were not able to discharge the water. There was a situation to break the road to discharge the water stagnated in their houses. As the President, Councilor, Ward Members insisted and fought to break the road, the road was broken. Cases were filed against them because of that. He said that he doesn’t know whether it has been cleared by elders during the discussion. Now, nobody is here. Now they had only Collector and BDO. They had got a solution with great difficulty by representing the matter to their President, Councilor who treated them as brothers. Now, nobody was there to whom they can represent. He said he doesn’t know what this company was going to do. They will be satisfied if the collector gives proper instructions to the Company that the facility of draining the water should be done so that we can leave this place happily. Madam, this should not be stopped with talks like “Madam has come, we met Madam, Madam also promised to do all”. We are here for the past 25, 26 years. We have everything in our village. To satisfy us, you should do something for us, Madam. Otherwise, you mention the name of the officer and told him that if the villagers come and represent any grievances, it should be done forthwith. If you do this, we will be satisfied. And he concluded by Thanking the Collector madam for giving him this opportunity. Mr. Velkumar, Athipattu 8. He stated that as per the instructions The First point is related Continuous of Collector Amma, drainage work is to M/s HPCL. Process going on well through BDO. But, during the rainy season, if water IOCL employ people as comes from HPCL Company, there is per the requirement. no space here. He said the distance IOCL treats its between their area and the company employees equitably is just 500 or 600 meter. without any bias. Further, he stated that the company has built a compound between HPCL and their village. They have constructed the compound with steel bars in a strong manner. Now in case if the water comes heavily, they will require breaker to demolish the compound for which they will require machineries. Without that, they cannot protect themselves by demolishing the compound. They have built the compound very strongly. In this situation, if they provide us a drainage at a depth of 10 ft., as per the instructions of Amma, they will be happy. Further, he reported that IOC had done nothing for them. Without doing anything, they are saying that they have done so many things. He also asked the company as to what they have done for the workers who are working for them. He also stated that if any worker from the villages goes inside the company, they are saying like he was a local and that he will hit them-stab them. He asked the company if they have provided any facility to the local people so far they have not provided anything. He also stated that from Athipattu Pudhunagar, only two persons are working. For that two persons, they are saying they are giving work to Athipattu Pudhunagar. Every day you are going and coming via Athipattu Pudhunagar. Further, he reported that there is only one drainage in that area. They haven’t done anything for people. They are doing everything for themselves only. Even when they are coming from outside and leaving for home after office hours. They are not inhaling LPG smell. The public is only suffering because of that smell. Further, he stated that this is their fate. Company people are coming and earning a salary of Rs. 50,000/- or Rs. 60,000/-. He stated that, in all, they are the affected persons. But Company people are living very well. They are giving their livelihood to the company. He concluded by saying thanks to Collector Madam. Mrs. Kanchana, Athipattu 9. She reported that on Sunday, one As these issues related - - person came here with wine bottles in to the relocation of a a white carry bag. Because of that wine shop and nothing wine shop, they are facing many to do with IOCL. troubles. They are finding it very difficult to go to ration shops. She stated that she is not asking the government to remove the wine shop. But requesting to place the wine shop in an isolated area far from the village. She also stated that there is no need for her to place this request because nobody is there in her family. But the nearby families are suffering a lot because of this. Aged women are undergoing lots of sufferings. And she also apologized for placing this subject. She said that she doesn't know any rules for talking about wine shop. Mrs. Vaani, Athipattu Pudhunagar 10. She stated that in their village, boys IOCL will coordinate - Within 2 up to 10 years of age are playing with administration years from inside the house. There are a lot of under CSR activities. the date of boys between the age group of 10 and commissioni 15 and they have no place to play. So ng of our they require a playground for them. expansion Further, she reported that they are program. suffering from fever for a week or for 10 days due to mosquito bites. For blood checkup, they have to go to Minjur or Athipattu. Because there is no clinic in their area. So they need a Government hospital in their area. Further, she reported that public toilet was constructed. But the septic tank was full, it was not cleared. So it is in a closed stage for the past five years. These are the requests she placed before the Collector. Mr. Ambalavanan, Athipattu Pudhunagar 11. He reported that the husband of the No Comment lady who spoke there just then had died in that drainage. He had fits and suddenly fell in this drainage. As nobody was seen, he died by drinking the drainage water. But she did not talk about that. He said – “I don’t know why? Why she has not said about her husband’s death, who expired by falling into this drainage.