Publication of De Notification in the Extra Ordinary Gazette of India under Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (ARUL) Act, 1962 for Dahej (Gujarat) Nagothane (Maharashtra) Liquid Ethane Pipeline (DNEPL).

## Policy Analysis Report: Denotification of Land for Petroleum and Mineral Pipelines - Raigad, Maharashtra **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes a government notification concerning the petroleum and natural gas sector. The notification, published by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, details an amendment to the acquisition of Right of User (ROU) in land for petroleum and mineral pipelines. Specifically, it concerns the denotification of certain land parcels in Raigad district, Maharashtra, initially acquired for Reliance Ethane Pipelines Limited. The core purpose is to release land that is not required for the final pipeline alignment. Key findings indicate that this amendment aims to streamline land use and potentially reduce costs for the involved parties. **2. Introduction:** The purpose of this report is to provide an informative analysis of a government notification pertaining to the denotification of land acquired for petroleum and mineral pipelines, based solely on the provided text. This analysis focuses on the policy's objectives, the rationale for the amendment, the specific changes being implemented, and the potential impact on relevant stakeholders. **3. Policy Overview:** * This notification is an amendment to the "acquisition of Right of User in land, in exercise of the power conferred by subsection 1 of Section 6 of the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines Acquisition of Right of User in Land Act, 1962 50 of 1962." as declared in notification number S.O. 1397 E dated 07042016. * **Core Objective(s):** The primary objective of the *amendment*, as inferred from the text, is to denotify land parcels acquired for pipeline construction that are not ultimately utilized in the final alignment. This suggests an effort to optimize land usage and potentially reduce compensation costs associated with unused land. **4. Background and Rationale:** This is an amendment to an existing policy. The likely reason for this specific amendment is that Reliance Ethane Pipelines Limited informed the Competent Authority that certain acquired land parcels were not required for the final pipeline alignment. This may have resulted from refinements in the pipeline route or a change in project specifications. The denotification process ensures that land rights are not unnecessarily restricted and that affected landowners are not unduly burdened. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This notification details a specific *amendment* to a prior land acquisition notification. The core change is the **denotification** of the Right of User (ROU) for specific land parcels. * **Specific Part of Original Policy Changed:** The original policy involved the acquisition of ROU for pipeline construction under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines Acquisition of Right of User in Land Act, 1962. This amendment *removes* that ROU for specific, listed land parcels. * **New Rule/Provision:** The "new rule" is effectively a reversal of the original land acquisition for the specifically listed plots. The government "hereby declares that the Right of User acquired mentioned in the schedule are denotified." The schedule identifies specific land parcels in villages Shedashi, Gagode Budruk, Paned, and Kamarli within the Pen Tehsil of Raigad District, Maharashtra. Each parcel is identified by survey number, subdivision number, and the area (in Hec. Are CAre) to be denotified. * **Difference/Effect of Change:** The effect of this change is to release the specified land parcels from the ROU previously granted. This likely returns the land rights to the original landowners, allowing them to use the land as they see fit, subject to existing regulations. It also relieves Reliance Ethane Pipelines Limited from any obligations related to these specific parcels. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** Based on the provided text, the primary stakeholders directly affected by this notification are: * **Reliance Ethane Pipelines Limited:** The company benefits from the reduced burden of managing and potentially compensating for land it does not require. * **Landowners in Shedashi, Gagode Budruk, Paned, and Kamarli Villages:** These landowners regain full rights over the specified parcels of land. * **The Competent Authority:** The authority responsible for land acquisition and the management of user rights. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible agency/bodies:** The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the Competent Authority, and potentially the Raigad District administration are involved in implementing this denotification. * **Timelines or procedures:** The notification itself serves as the formal denotification. Further administrative procedures related to land record updates and potentially compensation adjustments (if any were initially paid for the ROU) would likely follow. The text does not provide specific timelines for these secondary procedures. The date of the notification is December 6, 2021. * Implementation related specifically to changes: Implementation will involve updating land records to reflect the denotification. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The intended outcome of these specific changes is to: * **Streamline Land Use:** Ensure land is used efficiently, preventing unnecessary restrictions on landowners. * **Reduce Potential Costs:** Minimize potential future compensation or management costs for Reliance Ethane Pipelines Limited related to unused land. * **Enable Landowners:** Allow landowners to resume their pre-acquisition land use activities on the denotified parcels. **9. Conclusion:** The notification analyzed details a focused amendment to the policy governing land acquisition for petroleum and mineral pipelines. It demonstrates a process for refining land requirements after initial acquisition and releasing land no longer needed for the project. This action impacts Reliance Ethane Pipelines Limited and landowners in specific villages in Raigad district, Maharashtra. The amendment's significance lies in optimizing land usage and reducing potential burdens on both the pipeline company and the affected landowners. The document confirms a commitment to efficient resource management in the context of infrastructure development.

Key Entities Referenced