The Battle for River Neckinger
“I am reminding you, Richard, If you win this case for us, you will definitely be made a senior partner here. Also, you can carry on with your profession as an attorney,” said Mark Chelmsford sipping a cup of hot latte.
“Yes, I am aware of that Mr. Mark. You are quoting me an offer which is hard to decline. However, I cannot comprise on my work ethics to win a case for you when all the shreds of evidence accuse you as guilty.” said Richard staring outside the window laced with sliding raindrops.
There was an eerie silence for a couple of minutes. The sounds of a multitude raindrops hitting the glass window providing the only companion to it. The room had a fireplace which provided the solace from the chilly winter climate in the Brooksbough estate in South London.
Mark Chelmsford is a fourth generation businessman possessing millions of pounds of wealth. He earned the wealth through his diversified portfolio of businesses which he runs in association with his brothers Malcolm and Milton. Together they run a business conglomerate known as
“Chelmsford Corporation.”
Like many other business enterprises, the “Chelmsford Corporation” also has to struggle against the market competition. The usual practices of tax evasions, crony capitalism and tweaking of the account books are quite usual.
To get ahead of the competition, many of the business firms tend to lobby with market forces such as traders associations, consumer groups, environmental activists and others. Such lobbying is a common practice in any nation.
A petrochemical refinery of Chelmsford Corporation has polluted the river Neckinger. The polluted water is being used by the people St. Daviors dock. As a result, they have been suffering from diseases such as cholera, dysentery, skin infections etc.
Despite many protests by the local community, the government has not taken any serious effort to purify the river Neckinger. This has resulted in deep angst among the people of St. Daviors dock and they sought the help of a renowned environmental activist Isabella Dawson.
She was the organizer of “Clean river” campaign across London to purify the Thames river which brought her a lot of fame. Her approach in dealing with the politicians, bureaucrats, capitalists has become an epitome in environmental activism across the globe.
When she was invited to spearhead the campaign to save the river Neckinger, she accepted the invitation enthusiastically. She went for field visits to the
St. Daviors dock and carefully took note of the grievances of the local residents.
Then she analyzed all the steps which can be taken to ensure justice to the residents. She called for a meeting with the Mayor of London city and made him aware of all the issues the residents are facing in St. Daviors dock.
The Mayor promised to look into the issue and resolve it at the earliest. However, his word remained a hollow promise for even after three months, no official steps were taken.
Vexed with the apathy of the government, Isabelle decided to meet Mark Chelmsford, Chief Executive Officer of Chelmsford Corporation.
On a pleasant Sunday afternoon in the month of July, Isabelle succeeded in getting an appointment with Mark. They decided to meet at one of the presidential suite reserved by Mark at the Montcalm Royal London House, a five-star hotel located in the heart of London city.
Isabelle went to the meeting with Tim, a close associate of her and Henderson, a representative of the St. Daviors dock residents. The opulence and grandeur of the hotel was something that any person could stare on for hours. Every corner of the hotel right from the reception area to the roof was ornately crafted to perfection embedded with some of the most exotic woodwork and precious stones.
Just as the trio was appreciating the beauty of the hotel, Mark Chelmsford approached them. He was dressed in a luxurious three-piece Brioni Vanquish, coupled with a gold-plated Rolex watch. His hair neatly parted with product gel. He was accompanied by two black-suited bodyguards who stared through their black sunglasses at Isabelle, Tim, and Henderson with a suspicious look.
An usher guided Mark to his presidential suite and the trio followed them. The presidential suite seemed like a house in itself with duplex rooms, large aquariums, a gymnasium, a personalized kitchen, a 100 inch OLED screen and round the clock room keeping staff.
Mark signaled the trio to make themselves comfortable in the king-sized mahogany sofa cushioned with luxurious silk covers. A bar attendee brought some welcome refreshments for the guests. After exchanging little pleasantries with Mark, Isabelle started the conversation for what she actually came here for.
The meeting was full of negotiations and arguments among the parties. Isabelle was adamant to ensure the closure of refinery while Mark proposed the idea of providing compensation to the affected people.
Both the parties argued their case for around two hours, gulping several cups of coffee in between. The presidential suite presented the perfect setting for a showdown between capitalism and environmentalism.
After a marathon meeting, both the sides reached an impasse with none of them willing to compromise on their demands.
“Ms. Isabelle, I am giving you of my final offer. I will give £100,000 for the relief of residents in St. Daviors dock. It would be beneficial for all the parties involved to take the settlement and forget about the issue.” said Mark opening the heavy oak wood door of the suite.
“How can you put a price tag on the lives of people Mr. Mark. Humans cannot solely be measured based on monetary value. Precious lives of loved ones have been lost due to the pollution caused by your refinery. Can your money bring back them? I will never accept such an offer.” said Isabelle her face red with anger.
“Oh come on! Ms. Isabelle. In today’s society, every person has a price tag. Just the right offer is required to satisfy his appetite. I am giving you more than the market price. Accept the deal and let’s close this case. Otherwise, we would get stuck in endless cycles of litigation.”
“I don’t mind knocking the doors of law to ensure justice for the people of St. Daviors dock. I think you have forgotten my legacy, Mr. Mark. I am not a novice in the field of activism. So, you better be ready to face me in the Winchester Combined Court Centre next month.” said Isabelle stepping into the elevator.
The doors of the elevator shut close and it sounded the bugle for the start of the fight between two goliaths of London city.
Over the next few days, Isabelle and her team campaigned across London to gather support for the cause of St.Daviors dock residents. She collected the water samples of the river Neckinger from upstream of the Chelmsford Corporation petrochemical refinery and also from downstream. She sent the samples to a hydrological laboratory for getting the pollution content in them tested.
The lab report depicted how the water quality has gravely deteriorated after passing the petrochemical refinery. Many celebrities, philanthropists, retired bureaucrats supported the cause of the residents of St. Daviors dock. Even the rivals of Chelmsford Corporation lent support for the cause just to ensure that the reputation of Chelmsford Corporation is maligned.
Mark Chelmsford was concerned about the sudden uprisal of activism. He, however, was determined to protect his family enterprise. Possessing immense wealth, he was able to recruit one of the finest attorneys in England Richard Conrad to plead his case. Richard was a highly experienced civil dispute attorney, possessing thirty years experience in the annals of British Judiciary.
Richard was a man of virtue and highly efficient who sought to know the intricate details of any case and use the smallest of loophole against his opponent. Such was the reputation of Richard Conrad that most of his opponents used to accept defeat even before the start of the trial.
Richard is an attached attorney to the Chelmsford Corporation for the past five years and has considerable knowledge of the issues faced by the corporation. He knows about both the virtues and vices in the field of corporate law and hence only attached himself with reputed business conglomerates.
However, in this dispute, Richard came to know that the odds and liabilities of the case were against his client. He, however, was a competitive attorney and never preferred to accept defeat, especially even before the start of the trial.
Richard got down to business and collated all the facts and the legal regulations of St. Daviors dock. He gathered information on the emission levels of the petrochemical refinery. He studied various socioeconomic surveys of South London. He spoke with the safety engineers of the refinery and got to know the reason why the waste was discharged into the river.
As the date of hearing approached near, the media in Europe rechristened it as the case of the decade. It was seen as a fight of the common man against the rich resources of a capitalist. It was a fight which eighty percent of the population of United Kingdom could easily relate to. It was a clash between the ideals of a profit-seeking corporate and the struggle of livelihood of the poor people in South London.
Both the sides geared up to ensure justice to their respective clients. However, only one among them was to win. There was an unprecedented crowd gathered outside the Winchester Combined Court Centre on the 17th of August.
The sky was covered with dense black clouds which threatened to rain at any moment. Numerous black umbrellas covered the people who stood beneath them. Flashbulbs of cameras lit up occasionally to capture the arrival of important dignitaries. Several influential persons were seen giving their opinion on the case. Scores of police personnel in fluorescent vests and black helmets lined up on the pavement leading up to the court building. Riot control squads were present to check upon any externalities.
There was a cold bite in the air and it added anxiety to the already anxious residents of St. Daviors dock. They stationed themselves at a makeshift camp opposite the court building. There was palpable tension in the air as people waited with bated breath to know the outcome of the verdict.
Then at 8.55 A.M, the black cavalcade of the judges arrived piloted by police cars. They were ushered to the court hall avoiding the pointy microphones and the blinding camera flashes of the news reporters.
At 9.08 A.M, a convoy of five shiny white Rolls Royces arrived outside the court building. It was the Chelmsford brothers dressed in impeccable luxurious suits along with the black apron draped attorney Richard Conrad. They seemed confident to win the case and gave confident replies to the volley of questions posed by the media persons.
Richard Conrad gave a surprising reply to the media that if he loses this case then he would retire from legal practice. This sent the paparazzi into an overdrive mode.
After ten minutes, Isabelle Dawson was seen walking towards the court building accompanied by two police security personnel. She didn’t have any vehicle to drop her to the court and had traveled on the public transport of London. She had a confident walk and her head was held high. There was not a hint of anxiety in her body language. The camp of St. Daviors dock residents thronged Isabelle upon seeing her approaching.
They wished her good luck and prayed for her success in the case. Some of them presented her with lucky amulets and bracelets as a good luck sign. The media was eager to know her views on this case but they were unable to get near her as the crowd of residents didn’t show signs of retreat.
The police personnel had to forcefully disperse the crowds and let Isabelle walk towards the court building. A ring of police personnel formed around Isabelle as she climbed her way towards the court hall.
Inside the court hall, not an inch of space was left to sit or stand as people jam-packed it.
At 10.00 A.M, the trial of the case began with Isabelle and Richard presenting their side of arguments. They counter argued with each other on certain issues to gain an advantage in the duel. It was like watching two matadors taming a bull to win the coveted trofeo.
“My Lord! the residents of St. Daviors dock are residing illegally without a permit. The pollution from my client’s refinery is not a liability for him since the dock is not fit for human settlement. Thereby I put forward the opinion that you should relieve my client for legal ramifications.” said Richard waving his hand incessantly like a dramatist controlling the strings of a play.
“I object my Lord! The residents of St. Daviors dock are living out of compulsion in that area. Many of them are migrants from neighboring nations. They were promised ten years ago by the then mayor of London that a suitable land for them would be provided. However, such a promise hasn’t been kept. Hence the people had no other choice but to eke out a livelihood at St. Daviors dock.” argued Isabelle her voice confident and her attitude indefatigable.
The audience inside the courtroom were spellbound with the arguments of the case. None of them moved an inch since the start of the case. Many of them were rooting for Isabelle to win, however, there were some supporters for the camp of Chelmsford Corporation too.
The attorneys presented their facts and figures related to the case to the judge. It was 14.50 P.M, well past lunchtime and thus the judge adjourned the court for an hour. The audience themselves forgot about lunch probably for the first time in their lives.
During the adjourned period, both Isabelle and Richard assured a victory to their clients. There was an air of uncertainty in the premises of the court as the case was well balanced and it could go either way. Richard was taken aback by the die-hard attitude of Isabelle as an attorney, though he didn’t display his surprise in his words or behavior.
The court resumed at 15.50 P.M, and the court again bustled with people filling in like a bunch of bees on to a beehive.
“I have taken both sides of the argument from the attorneys.” eloquently spoke the grey-haired judge. “I see that Chelmsford Corporation is pleading innocence since it didn’t do any wrong knowingly. Am I right?” asked the judge intently looking towards Richard.
“Yes my Lord! It is indeed true. My client is even ready to provide relief to the victims to alleviate their suffering.” replied Richard with folded hands displaying sympathy towards the cause.
“And you Ms. Isabelle. Your client is demanding the closure of the petrochemical refinery since it is causing loss of lives to your client. Am I correct?” asked the judge facing towards Isabelle.
“You are absolutely correct my Lord! The petrochemical refinery is not only affecting my client but also destroying the fragile marine ecosystem and the soil adjacent to the river Neckinger. In the cause of humanity and environmental impact, which has led to damage of millions of pound of critical resources and loss of precious lives, I request you to shut down the refinery and do justice to the people and environment at large.” replied Isabelle bowing her head and showing her empty palms towards the judge.
There was a distinct murmur from the crowd who agreed with Isabelle’s argument. Some of the enthusiastic among them shouted slogans in praise of Isabelle. They had to be marshaled away to maintain the decorum of the court.
“After taking a careful analysis of the facts and figures kept infront of me without any bias or prejudice, I have come to the verdict that Chelmsford Corporation refinery needs to be shifted away from the vicinity of the river Nickenger.” ordered the judge while reading out his judgement.
A section of the audience in the court hall cried out in joy and soon a loud growl was heard from the supporters of Chelmsford Corporation.
“Order!Order! Order!” shouted the judge thumping his hammer on the table. “I expect a minimum decency and decorum in my court.” thundered the judge almost standing up from his chair.
Somehow, the verdict was leaked to the crowd waiting outside the court and shouts of joy and gratitude towards the judiciary and Isabelle were heard.
“Preserving the fragile ecosystem and safeguarding the human rights of every person in Great Britain is vital in these testing times of dissected democratic principles. I acknowledge the offer of Chelmsford Corporation to provide relief to the victims, however, such an action would only be a short term measure. To do complete justice to the people and environment, it is necessary to reinvigorate the natural flow and pristinity of the river Neckinger.” said the judge.
The judge concluded his speech by reading out certain provisions of British law and London Metropolitan by-laws which encouraged the state to do good to all people irrespective of color, creed, religion, sex or race.
Isabelle shook hands with Richard Conrad as a formality. In return, Richard appreciated the confidence of Isabelle’s vociferous arguments despite not being a law graduate.
Isabelle was thronged by the people of St. Daviors dock upon her exit from the court building. She hugged and shook hands with all her admirers and well-wishers. She gave a detailed account of how she won her case to the media channels who were eager to get her interview.
Richard Conrad left the court alone in his shiny white Rolls Royce without many admirers. A media person asked whether he would really end his career as an attorney, Richard replied in affirmative.
Isabelle, on the other hand, left the court leading the residents of St.Daviors dock back to South London. It was a 15-mile walk back which she decided to tread along with the residents. All along the road people came out of their houses and congratulated her for the success. She accepted the wishes with humility.
As the twilight faded into the night sky, the Chelmsford-St. Daviors dock case went into the annals as one of the classic battles of Britain’s society. The case led to the triumph of the downtrodden and marginal community over the wealthy and dominant class of the society.
