Protests against hydrocarbon projects in Tamil Nadu to intensify

Environmental activists and farmers in the state are gearing up to take their ongoing protest against the hydrocarbon project to the next level. While plans are under way for a massive public outreach campaign, human chain protests and public meetings are also scheduled in the following days. 

According to V Sethuraman, environmental activist, the new Hydrocarbon Exploration Licensing Policy (HELP) introduced by the Union Government in 2016 paved way for a single licence for crude, Coal Bed Methane (CMB), Shale gas and tight gas exploration projects.

In phase I of the one such exploration project, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for 67 wells spread across an area of 731 square km in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts has been sanctioned, he said, adding that the ONGC had proposed to explore tight gas in Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts.

Meanwhile, the Vedanta group has won the bid to extract hydrocarbon in an area of 1,794 sq km (from Marakkanam in Villupuram to Kullanchavadi in Cuddalore district). The company was also permitted to extract hydrocarbon in an area of 2,674 sq km from Parangipettai in Cuddalore to Pushpavanam in Nagapattinam district and establish as many as 274 wells situated both on and off shore.

Presently, Vedanta has been given the nod to open offshore wells, while it could receive the permission for onshore wells in the coming days, activists claimed.

While the Cauvery delta is already is reeling under water scarcity, hydraulic fracking, a common extraction technique, poses a serious environmental danger due to the presence of easily inflammable gas, Sethuraman said. “These types of extraction projects are banned in the US and several European countries, including Germany. It should not be done in thickly populated areas,” he said.

Sethuraman pointed out that the State government had already issued an order on a temporary ban in 2013 and followed it up with a permanent ban order in 2015. The 2015 order also directed other stakeholders to get the State government’s recommendation for implementing the project.

“However, the order has been ignored and the present State government has not been consulted prior to inviting the tender for the proposed exploration projects,” he said.

Professor T Jayaraman, chief coordinator of anti-methane project movement, who has been spearheading the protests against the extraction activities in the Cauvery Delta region, said the movement would campaign against the exploration activities from May 28 to June 2. Members of the group would visit farmers in villages where the wells are proposed and explain the impact of the exploration activities to them.

He said that the exploration activities would pave way for extensive use of water and chemicals, which would then cause harm to the fertile land, water and environment besides posing a health hazard.

“Hence, we demand the State government to ask the oil firms to withdraw its projects citing the threat posed to the people and their agricultural works,” Jayaraman said. He pointed out that the Indian Constitution clearly states that the government should ensure a liveable environment for its citizens, adding that it was the government’s duty to ensure safety of the people.

As a part of the campaign rally against the exploration activities, a movement against land acquisition would be formed, in which farmers from across the state would be invited to participate. Farmers whose land would be affected would be part of the movement also, said Jayaraman.

“This movement would continue to oppose the land acquisition for the project. The government cannot ignore our protests because those who lead it are also the sons of soil. It must realise the harmful consequences before the situation turns late,” Jayaraman said.

KKR Lenin, President, ‘Movement against Destruction’, said his activist group would organise a massive human chain protest from Villupuram to Ramanathapuram.

Lenin said new wells would be created across the coastal areas and even on the sea to help ONGC and Vedanta.  “This apart, there are over 900 wells maintained by ONGC. They would be drilled further in search of hydrocarbon,” he said. “We plan to organise a massive human chain protest on June 12. We have already got the support of farmers and social activists,” Lenin added.