Opposition parties, farmers continue protest against hydrocarbon projects

The protest, which was held in front of the head post office, was also attended by farmers who have been fighting against the project. Police have booked around 250 people for holding the protest violating the police restriction.

The protesters raised slogans demanding declaration of the Cauvery delta districts as protected agricultural zone. They also demanded scrapping of hydrocarbon projects, which would render the fertile area into a desert. They also said pipelines carrying petrochemical products and natural gas should not be laid through agricultural lands and demanded efforts by the Tamil Nadu Government to get the Cauvery water as per the final orders of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT).

Later, speaking to reporters, Thanjavur MP S S Palanimanickam, who led the protest, said the people of the delta districts cannot afford to lose the lands and water on which their livelihood depends. The State government should convene the Assembly and pass a resolution to scrap the projects. He alleged that there was an ulterior motive behind the proposed laying of six-lane road between Thoothukudi and Thanjavur and awarding hydrocarbon exploration licence to Cairn India, a Vedanta subsidiary.

G Palanichamy, CPI national council member, G Neelamegam, district CPM secretary, V Duraimanickam, general secretary of Tamil Nadu farmers’ association (CPI), Sami Natarajan, deputy secretary of Tamil Nadu farmers association (CPM), Kaliyappan, state treasurer of Makkal Adhigaram, Ayanapuram C Murugesan of Tamilar Desiya Munnani, G Udhayakumar of MDMK, K K R Lenin of Movement against destruction, Chockka Ravi of VCK were amongthose present.