#SaveNeduvasal: No permission for hydrocarbon project says TN CM

Even as protests against the centre's hydrocarbon projects continues at Neduvasal in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Palanisami has assured people that no permission for the project has been given by the state government. The Chief Minister's assurance came after a representation of farmers from Neduvasal met him on Wednesday.

[#saveNeduvasal: Why the opposition to hydrocarbon exploration project?]

Members of the delegation told the media that Palanisami assured them that the state had not given permission or license for commercial extraction of natural gas at Neduvasal. The farmers, however, are sceptical given the fact that the hydrocarbon project is a central government project. "The state government says that it will not give the necessary to carry out the project and understands that people are against it. But we really do not know to what extent the state has a say in this since it is a central government project," said one of the farmers who met the Chief Minister.

Chief Minister Palanisami also urged farmers to give up the protest and trust the state government. It may be recalled that earlier in the week, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister had submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister asking for the project to be stopped. Thousands of people have been gathering at Neduvasal and neighbouring villages to protest the hydrocarbon extraction project. Villagers allege that the valve that was placed earlier started leaking oil, making the land infertile. They fear large-scale ecological devastation including contamination of groundwater in Neduvasal if the project is carried out.

OneIndia News