Protesters brace for fresh battle against hydrocarbon survey

The fresh move by the Centre has stirred the hornet’s nest in the delta region as activists and several farmers have started gearing up by planning protests for another round of confrontation with the government. With the agitations set to begin from June 12, leaders of various associations have decided to seek the support of political parties by visiting each and every leader in the State.

“The Centre has granted permission to establish 341 wells from Puducherry, Villupuram to Ramanathapuram in TN despite strong opposition from the people and hence we have organised a human chain protest from Villupuram to Ramanathapuram and have sought the support of the people from all walks of life,” said KKR Lenin, president, Movement Against Destruction.

Lenin added that the new wells would be constructed on the basis of two thirds share being given to Vedanta and one share to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). “This apart, there are over 900 wells maintained by the ONGC and they would be drilled further for hydrocarbon while the new wells would be established across coastal areas and on the sea,” he said. “We already have a lot of support from the farmers as well as social activists. We personally want to invite all political parties from May 17 and 18,” Lenin stated. Farmers associations and environmental activists in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam have been opposing the Centre’s nod to ONGC to conduct detailed environmental impact Assessment (EIA) studies for drilling 40 hydrocarbon wells. Also, the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association (AIKS) has announced a protest on June 1 in all panchayat unions coming under Cuddalore, Nagappattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Pudukkottai against the hydrocarbon project announced recently.

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Saturday said that the administration would not allow hydrocarbon extraction in any part of the Union Territory. In an informal chat with the media, Narayanasamy said that the issue had cropped up two years ago and even then he had made it clear that the Puducherry government would not allow this, adding that this was also told to the legislators. He also added that in case they get a Centre communique, he would meet the Minister concerned in person and also the press to stop it or move the court.