Ayyankkuzhi residents to revive protest over alleged non-payment of rent dues
Residents of Ayyankuzhi are planning protests against BPCL-Kochi Refinery over the alleged non-payment of rent dues following a fire incident last year. The company claims the payments were one-time sponsorships rather than rent, leading to a dispute with the displaced families.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing tension between industrial corporations and local communities regarding disaster compensation and corporate social responsibility.
Forty-five families who vacated their homes in Ayyankuzhi near Ambalamugal, Ernakulam district, following a fire at the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited–Kochi Refinery (BPCL-KR) campus in their neighbourhood nearly a year ago, are preparing to revive their protest. The Ayyankuzhi Janakeeya Samithi, a collective of affected families, accuse the oil major of failing to honour its commitment to pay four months’ rent, a promise made at a meeting chaired by the Deputy Collector (disaster management) last month.
The article presents both the residents' grievances and the company's defense, maintaining a balanced perspective.
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