CPM asks Centre to cancel nod to ONGC

In a statement, CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan said that both Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam promised the voters during the Lok Sabha election campaign that they would not allow the hydrocarbon project in the state. “Days after the elections, the permissions were being granted for the project. It is nothing but a betrayal of people and farmers,” he said.

Despite the ban imposed by the state government on various projects, including methane and hydrocarbon extraction, the Centre has allocated hydrocarbon extraction blocks to ONGC and Vedanta as part of the Open Acreage Licensing Policy, he said. ONGC was allotted an area of 731 sq km from Thiyavalli in Cuddalore to Vaitheeswaram temple in Nagapattinam, while Vedanta was given two blocks measuring 1,794 sq km from Marakkanam to Kullachavadi and 2,674 sq km area of Parangipettai to Pushpavanam in Nagapattinam. “These companies have applied for environment clearances for the projects in March and April this year,” he said.

Balakrishnan said that the ONGC has tied up with US based consultant Blade Energy Partners to commence exploration of tight gas and also sought environment clearance for the project. The environment ministry has also been swift in granting approvals for the ONGC. An application for onshore development and production of oil and gas from 27 wells in two fields (Bhuvanagiri & Periyakudi fields) and expansion in Cauvery Basin (in Cuddalore and Tiruvarur districts) was submitted by ONGC on February 27 and ToR was granted by March 31.

“Union Environment Ministry has accepted the application of the ONGC for both the projects,” he said, adding that Vedanta has written to the Ministry seeking exemption from holding public hearings for the project.

He alleged that the BJP government at the Centre has been trying to destroy the natural resources of Tamil Nadu while the AIADMK government at the state was only keen to save its government.

“If the Centre failed to cancel the permission granted to the ONGC and the Vedanta, we will hold massive protest along with other democratic forces against it,” he said.