Protests continue even after IOCL given ROW  

JAGATSINGHPUR: Even as the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has been granted the right of way (ROW) for its Paradip-Hyderabad Product Pipeline (PHP) project, the protests by local villagers refuse to die down. 

While  the IOCL had shifted the pipeline laid along the land, which was alleged by villagers as gochar or grazing one, the Erasama tehsildar on December 31 pasted a notification at the panchayat office stating the oil major was granted the much-awaited ROW by the Revenue and Disaster Management department. 

However, the villagers continue to be firm on their resistance. The locals on Sunday took out a rally and vowed to continue their protest against the project

Dhinkia panchayat samiti member Debendranath Swain said he had requested the officials of IOCL and district administration to hold discussions with the villagers on the benefits and potential risks of the project but nothing has yet been done in this regard.