Bara thermal power plant, Allahabad, India

Description:

Bara Thermal Power Project is 92.53% owned by Jaypee Group of Industries. The project is situated at Bara in Allahabad district of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The first phase of 1980 MW is expected to commence operations in 2014. The second phase of a 3300 MW thermal power plant is under construction [1] Some land owners, whose land was acquired for the project, were reportedly sitting on fast demanding better compensation for their agricultural land. The farmers claimed the company had promised job to one person of every family, whose land was being acquired, but it had not been fulfilled. Protesters went on a rampage damaging police vehicles to protest against land acquisition policies in January 2011. The agitators also alleged one farmer was killed in police firing, a charge denied by the Uttar Pradesh government [2]. Protesters had damage worth Rs 1 crore to the company after they smashed computers, vehicles and damaged the mess and other facilities. The protesters are demanding jobs in the project and a rehabilitation allowance of Rs 62,500 which is given to labourers displaced by a project. Apprehending more trouble, the company shifted some of the equipment to nearby Madhya Pradesh [3]

Basic Data

Name of conflict:	Bara thermal power plant, Allahabad, India
Country:	India
State or province:	Uttar Pradesh
Location of conflict:	Bara, Allahabad
Accuracy of location	MEDIUM (Regional level)

Source of Conflict

Type of conflict. 1st level:	Fossil Fuels and Climate Justice/Energy
Type of conflict. 2nd level:	Water access rights and entitlements Land acquisition conflicts Thermal power plants Other Water treatment and access to sanitation (access to sewage)
Specific commodities:	Coal Electricity

Project Details and Actors

Project details	Bara Thermal Power Project (Phase 1): The first phase of 1980 MW is currently expected to commence operations in 2014. See more Bara Thermal Power Project (Phase 2): The preliminary stages of developing the second phase of a 3300 MW thermal power plant is in the process of arranging coal supplies and obtaining approvals [1]. (See less)
Project area:	601
Level of Investment:	1,630,500,000
Type of population	Rural
Affected Population:	10,000
Company names or state enterprises:	Jaypee Group from India Jaiprakash Power Ventures Limited (JPVL) from India
Relevant government actors:	Government of Uttar Pradesh
Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available:	Kisan Punarvas Sahayata Samiti

Conflict & Mobilization

Intensity	HIGH (widespread, mass mobilization, violence, arrests, etc...)
Reaction stage	In REACTION to the implementation (during construction or operation)
Groups mobilizing:	Farmers Industrial workers Landless peasants Neighbours/citizens/communities Social movements Kisan Punarvas Sahayata Samiti Fisher people
Forms of mobilization:	Blockades Public campaigns Sabotage Street protest/marches Property damage/arson Strikes Occupation of buildings/public spaces

Impacts

Environmental Impacts	Visible: Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality, Groundwater pollution or depletion, Large-scale disturbance of hydro and geological systems, Reduced ecological / hydrological connectivity Potential: Desertification/Drought, Food insecurity (crop damage), Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Deforestation and loss of vegetation cover
Other Environmental impacts	The Bara project will draw 150-cusec water of the Yamuna per hour, which the farmers fear will drain smaller streams that feed the Yamuna, adversely affecting cultivation. Engineering experts opine that the drain of water will also drastically affect the water supply here, which according to a recent study by Allahabad University has a depleting groundwater level [4].
Socio-economical Impacts	Visible: Land dispossession Potential: Displacement, Lack of work security, labour absenteeism, firings, unemployment, Loss of livelihood, Loss of landscape/sense of place
Other socio-economic impacts	The farmers fear that the ‘water thirsty’ power plant will drain their source of irrigation [4]

Outcome

Project Status	Under construction
Conflict outcome / response:	Compensation Environmental improvements, rehabilitation/restoration of area Institutional changes Strengthening of participation Under negotiation
Development of alternatives:	The farmers are demanding over four-fold increase in compensation and the benefits of the new resettlement and rehabilitation policy the government had announced to pacify the agitating farmers of Tappal in Aligarh district [2].
Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?:	No
Briefly explain:	Land was acquired for the project from about 1,000 families who own over 2,500 bigha of land in eight villages in 2007. Land was acquired by the government at very low rates and then given to a private company. Farmers here have lost their source of earning. At that time, when the affected farmers of Bara held protests, the government had pacified them by assuring them that the JP group would build an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and a hospital. However the demand has not met. So, to meet the farmers demand people goes for agitation [2].

Sources & Materials

Related laws and legislations - Juridical texts related to the conflict

Environmental Clearence
[click to view]

National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, 2007
[click to view]

Comparison of new R&R Policy of Uttar Pradesh with that of Haryana
[click to view]

Links to general newspaper articles, blogs or other websites

[1] Jaypee Group Thermal Power
[click to view]

[2] Allahabad - Farmers protest land acquisition for Jaypee Group 1320MW project
[click to view]

[3] Setback to UP power project
[click to view]

Bara Thermal Power Project
[click to view]

Work on Bara Thermal Plant to start soon
[click to view]

[4] Power plants near Yamuna robbing villagers of their water
[click to view]

Probe reveals labourers exploitation led to Bara crisis
[click to view]

Related media links to videos, campaigns, social network

FARMERS CONTINUE PROTEST AGAINST JAYPEES POWER PROJECT PLANT
[click to view]

Meta information

Contributor:	Swapan Kumar Patra
Last update	24/06/2014