Locals gherao private firm staff at Neduvasal

Sources said, on Wednesday afternoon, a team of workers from KEI-RSOS Petroleum and Energy Pvt Ltd (KRPEL), an Andhra Pradesh-based Oil and Gas exploration and production company which has partnered with the ONGC in its operations, reached Kottaikadu, where ONGC had sunk an exploration well. Meanwhile, upon seeing them, a few locals tried to communicate with them and found out that the group was here for the exploration works for the ONGC and soon, they held the team members hostage and alerted the Vadakadu police. 

The cops, led by Muthalif, DSP, Alangudi and Yogeshwaran, Tahsildar, Karambakudi, rushed to the spot and interrogated them and found that the team had indeed been sent for exploration work. 

Subsequently, they were taken to Sub- Collector, Amrith, who also conducted an inquiry. Later, the sub-collector confirmed that they were employees of KRPEL, partners of ONGC, and had come for the maintenance work for the exploration wells which were dug up by the ONGC at Kottaikadu. It was also learnt that they had not obtained permission either from the district administration or from the police. Amrith said that they were warned and asked to get due permission from the district administration for visiting the spot. Over 100 villagers of Neduvasal staged a protest for the eighth consecutive day at the Sri Nadiyamman Thidal to show their displeasure over the proposed hydrocarbon project.