With public protests against the hydrocarbon exploration and extraction project at Neduvasal in Pudukottai district gathering steam, Health Minister C.Vijaya Baskar on Saturday affirmed that Tangedco has been instructed not to give power supply to the proposed project.
The Minister, who inspected a well sunk by ONGC and interacted with the local people, said the State government would protect the interests of farmers. The people had been staging a dharna at the village for the past few days protesting against the project.
Speaking to The Hindu over telephone after the visit, Mr. Vijaya Baskar said Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami would take up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on February 27 and press the Centre not to proceed with the project.
Claiming that the State government had not received any details of the project so far, he said that power supply was sought from the Tangedco. “We have directed the Tangedco not to give power supply,” he said.
Earlier, TMC president G.K. Vasan visited the village and interacted with the protesters.Expressing solidarity, Mr. Vasan said the project would adversely impact agriculture. The State government should urge the Centre to drop the exploration as it would deal a severe economic blow to the village.
Technicians chased away
Meanwhile, a group of people chased away a few ONGC technicians who had come to inspect the rig drilled in the area in 2009. “It has not been properly plugged and hence the technicians went to seal the site to prevent oozing of the core which created a scare among the villagers. But the villagers did not allow the technicians to reach the site,” an ONGC official told The Hindu over phone.
A group of villagers took out an awareness rally in and around Neduvasal during the day mobilising support for the protest against the exploration. Black flags were hoisted on the trees and huts throughout the village as a mark of protest. The villagers, with the support of various other organisations, are planning to observe a fast in Pudukottai town on Sunday.
Meanwhile, BJP national secretary H. Raja said that the Centre would not implement the hydrocarbon project against the wishes of the people.
