Residents of Massahood junction, Fyzabad, who are living in fear that State-owned Petrotrin might try to force them out of their homes have sought legal advice.
However, Petrotrin has stated that they are not asking them to demolish their homes, but the sheds and fences constructed on its Pipeline Wayleave at San Francique Road.
Several households were served with notices dated December 8, by Petrotrin, giving them seven days to demolish the structures constructed along the wayleave. The wayleave was granted by a landowner to allow Petrotrin access their underground pipes.
The deadline has since passed and the residents have not heard from Petrotrin.
However, the residents staged a protest, led by councillor Doodnath Mayrhoo, on Thursday calling for government’s intervention.
Resident Richard Ramlal denied they were squatting.
“Is about 25 families affected. Some families have been living here for over a century. We are not squatting. This is privately owned land and we are paying a yearly rent.”
Showing a resident’s receipt for rent paid for 2015, Ramlal claimed Petrotrin was also paying a yearly rental fee for the land .
He said two of the residents own the land and he has a copy of the rental agreement dated 1929 between the residents and Petrotrin.
“According to the agreement with Petrotrin they only have a 12-feet space nothing more. There was no mention about any wayleave.
Our contention is that they send us notice without even having an agreement with us and the land owner. The agreement was for 12 feet space now.”
He said Petrotrin was trying to bully them into leaving their homes so they could acquire the land.
Ramlal said residents are scared.
“I don’t take them on. But, everybody here is nearly 50 and 60 years old and they have their kids with them. They are traumatised, this not easy you know. You talking about ten days before Christmas they serve us with this.”
He said they have spoken to a lawyer who has given them certain advice.
Councillor Mayrhoo said they were giving Petrotrin until after the holidays to respond before taking their next step.
In response, Petrotrin’s Head of External communications and Branding Joy Antoine said Land Management personnel have been in discussions with some of the residents in the area since April 2014 and more particularly with one resident who has paved over the pipelines and wayleave in one area and erected a structure in another.
After several warnings, he was served with a Cease and Desist notice on or about September 18, 2014.
Subsequently, she said, an exercise was undertaken to have all the violations in that area along the wayleave of the six (6) pipelines (both crude oil and gas), addressed in a comprehensive manner. Antoine said in November a site visit was conducted with personnel from Land Management, security and another on December 5.
“At this visit, discussions were held with eight of the residents who were in violation and all the relevant information was shared with them. They were advised that as a matter of procedure they would be served with Cease and Desist notices. There was only one resident that was not available at the time of the visit so no discussions were held with him.”
She said eight notices were subsequently served on December 13 and one on December 14. On the later date, she said, Petrotrin personnel held discussions with four of those residents and the issues were again explained to them.
Antoine said at that meeting a commitment was given that Petrotrin would conduct a follow up site visit to clearly identify the extent of each violation.
“These site visits were conducted on December 19 and December 20, this year. At these site visits the residents were again advised of Petrotrin’s rights and the HSE and maintenance issues in relation to their violations.
“They were told that we are not asking them to demolish their houses but the shed and fences that are within the wayleave space which present an immediate hindrance to any maintenance operations, should be removed and we would advise on a way forward on a case-by-case basis.”
