Reliance - GTIL Gas Pipeline
©Lucio Mascarenhas, Bombay.
During the World Social Forum at the NESCO Grounds, Goregaon, Bombay, I had been handed over a pamphlet. This was campaigning against a "GTIL Gas Petrochemicals Pipeline" from Vasco da Gama, Goa, to Hyderabad, India. G.T.I.L., it is said, belongs to the Ambani's
Reliance Group. However, after intensive searches on the Internet, I had still not been able to find any evidence of this project. The Reliance website does not list a "G.T.I.L." among its subsidiaries or associate entities.
Since the line is supposed to pass through Goa, I thought that Goan activist groups should be aware of the project and that there should be some opposition to it.
The anti-GTIL group is based in the remote Banda region bordering Goa on the north-east.
It seems that the alignment of the line is a little strange, for it seems to make an unnecessary detour through Banda rather than making a straight line over the Sahyadri Mountains through the historic route of Arvalem-Castle Rock-Belgaum, westwards out of Goa. Is the detour to avoid the biosphere reserves in East Goa?
However, I consider that the anti-GTIL activists are telling the truth. They have come a long way out of their way to pass on this information and to seek to co-opt others into their struggle. It makes no sense for them to be fabricating this issue. Yet, despite this, there is a deep and inpenetrable silence on this issue.
I called up Dr. Patkar at the given telephone number, and spoke to him. He told me that GTIL is the "Gas Transportation and Infrastructure Limited". I did more checks and found these two pages:
GoaNet |
Goenchi Khobor
.
After searching on "Reliance Gas" I think that the project is to supply gas to Goan power projects, or to export gas via the port of Mormugao...
Therefore, I reproduce the anti-GTIL pamphlet here, and seek further information on this issue.
The People's Movement against Reliance gas line
Dear Comrade,
We know that Reliance Industry is capturing the Indian Fuel industry, Telecommunication & Electricity. To achieve these goals it is following immoral ways, even influencing Government policies. Thus it is becoming hidden dectator of India.
One of the subcompany of Reliance is the G.T.I.L. company. This G.T.I.L. company is creating a project to carry natural gas & haydrocarbon products from Vasco (Goa) to Hyderabad (A.P.) by the permission of Central Government. For this purpose, company will acquire land of 100 feet (30 m) width at cost of 10% of Govt. value. Thus only to save transport cost, the company with the help of Central Govt. is snatching away thousands of acres of farmer's land of Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka & A.P.
Natural gas & hydrocarbons are highly inflammable, hence even though company assures security, natural calamities like earthquakes, terrorist activities, human & mechanical errors will cause mass disaster in future. So, for the sake of company's profit, farmers will loose the basic right of living safely.
Hence to protest against this project, project affected farmers of Sindhudurg initiated a movement which has spread to remaining parts of Maharashtra & Goa. The activists expressed their opposition in the form of Dharana, Jail Bharo, Relay hunger Strike, etc. All the Gramsabhas of project affected villages of Sindhudurg passed resolution against the project. (Tahasildar, Sawantwadi & D.F.O Sindhudurg refused N.O.C. to pass the pipe line through water streams and forest respectively.)
Till today, Central Govt. is neglecting people's opposition; reports of Tahasildar & Forest dept.; Gramsabha resolution; in addition side tracking legal provision of ban on dangerous & chemical project in Sindhudurg.
Our battle is tough & against a capitalist who managed our system. We need your kind support & participation.
Yours sincerely,
Sihdhudurg Bachao Kruti Samiti
C/o. Dr. Rupesh Patkar
A/P. Banda, Tal - Sawantwadi
Dist - Sindhudurg.
Tel.: (02363) 270265
©Lucio Mascarenhas