Polepally SEZ is established by Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC). It is one among many of the SEZ established by APIIC. It is situated at Polepally village, about 90 km from Hyderabad. Now it is in newly formed Telengana state. For the SEZ, land acquisition of about 1000 acre was notified in 2001. Original plans that year were to design as a “Green Industrial Park”. In 2005, the formulation "Special Economic Zone" was established and the land was allocated to many pharmaceutical firms engaged in the bulk manufacture of pharmaceutical products [1] Before the land acquired for the SEZ, the residents of Polepally village and other neighboring areas used to cultivate on that land. The farming was the only means of livelihood of the local villager. However, with the establishment of the SEZ people have lost their land. During procurement of land, government had issued rehabilitation cards to the land losers for jobs in 2007. However, no promises has been fulfilled and the land losers are running pillars to posts and requesting the authorities holding their cards to secure employment. |
Description:
Basic Data
| Name of conflict: | Polepally Special Economic Zone, Telangana, India |
| Country: | India |
| State or province: | Telangana |
| Location of conflict: | Town-Polepally; District-Mahbubnagar |
| Accuracy of location | HIGH (Local level) |
Source of Conflict
| Type of conflict. 1st level: | Industrial and Utilities conflicts |
| Type of conflict. 2nd level: | Land acquisition conflicts |
| Specific commodities: | Land |
Project Details and Actors
| Project details | APIIC had procured 1,000 acres of land from 10-15 villages for setting up the SEZ in Polepally in Jedcherla mandal in 2007. Many major pharmaceutical firms had occupied lands in the SEZ for their manufacturing operations[2]. |
| Project area: | 404.686 |
| Type of population | Rural |
| Affected Population: | 2500-5000 |
| Start of the conflict: | 2001 |
| Company names or state enterprises: | Andhra Pradesh Indutrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) from India |
| Relevant government actors: | Government of Andhra Pradesh |
| Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available: | Alliance against Polepally SEZ, Polepally SEZ Vyathireka Aikya Sanghatana |
Conflict & Mobilization
| Intensity | HIGH (widespread, mass mobilization, violence, arrests, etc...) |
| Reaction stage | PREVENTIVE resistance (precautionary phase) |
| Groups mobilizing: | Farmers Indigenous groups or traditional communities Local ejos Landless peasants Neighbours/citizens/communities Social movements Ethnically/racially discriminated groups |
| Forms of mobilization: | Community-based participative research (popular epidemiology studies, etc..) Development of a network/collective action Public campaigns Street protest/marches Strikes There are as many as 13 of them contesting the same Jadcherla Assembly seat as independents [3] |
Impacts
| Environmental Impacts | Visible: Food insecurity (crop damage) Potential: Air pollution, Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Soil contamination, Waste overflow, Deforestation and loss of vegetation cover, 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 |
| Health Impacts | Visible: Mental problems including stress, depression and suicide Potential: Other environmental related diseases |
| Socio-economical Impacts | Visible: Displacement, Lack of work security, labour absenteeism, firings, unemployment, Loss of livelihood, Loss of landscape/sense of place Potential: Loss of traditional knowledge/practices/cultures |
Outcome
| Project Status | In operation |
| Conflict outcome / response: | Compensation Environmental improvements, rehabilitation/restoration of area Migration/displacement Strengthening of participation Technical solutions to improve resource supply/quality/distribution Violent targeting of activists New Environmental Impact Assessment/Study |
| Proposal and development of alternatives: | The major demand of the Polepally anti-SEZ protesters is to get their land back [3]. They threatened that they would intensify the agitation till their demands are met [2]. Their demand is also to formulate a stringent employment policy including the annual reports by SEZ authority and also firms located in the SEZ on employment generated for the land losers in their units [2] |
| Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?: | No |
| Briefly explain: | The land acquisition process in the SEZ area (Polepally, Mudireddipally and Gundlagadda Thanda) did not meet the land acquisition norms. No informed consent of land holders had been taken. Their land has been forcefully occupied. Information given to the land holders regarding the SEZ was incomplete and inadequate. All the assigned lands were cultivable land and they formed the only source of livelihood for the land holders who are the poor farmers. Land losers received varying rates of compensation. Beside the cultivable land people lost valuable assets such as wells, bore wells, cattlesheds and trees that were not considered in the compensation No public hearing on the possible environmental impacts of the pharmaceutical manufacturing project had been organized. Since construction began, water sources in Polepally have apparently become unsafe to drink. According to the study (Vidya Bhushan et. al 2011) respondents reported the death a number of livestock due to polluted water [1]. |
Sources & Materials
| Juridical relevant texts related to the conflict (laws, legislations, EIAs, etc) |
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| References to published books, academic articles, movies or published documentaries |
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| Related media links to videos, campaigns, social network |
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Meta information
| Contributor: | Swapan Kumar Patra |
| Last update | 18/08/2019 |
| Conflict ID: | 1456 |
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