Protests against ONGC’s hydrocarbon exploration: TN govt asks authorities to withdraw clearance

Chennai, Aug 25 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu government has directed the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (TNSEIAA) to withdraw the clearance granted to ONGC for hydrocarbon exploration in Ramanathapuram district in the wake of widespread protests and staunch opposition from fishermen and political parties.

While the Tamil Nadu SEIAA had granted clearance to the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation to carry out hydrocarbon exploration drilling in 20 wells in Ramanathapuram district, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu has asserted that the government will never allow such projects in the state.

"The firm policy of Chief Minister M K Stalin is not to allow any hydrocarbon-related projects anywhere in Tamil Nadu. Hence, the state government will never allow any hydrocarbon projects in the state even in the future," Thennarusu, who holds the Environment and Climate Change and Forests portfolio, said in a statement.

He pointed out that the government had already enacted the Protected Agricultural Zone (PAZ) Act on February 20, 2020, declaring the Cauvery Delta Region, the lifeline of farmers, a Protected Agricultural Zone.

"This Act bans exploration of hydrocarbons besides natural gas, coal-based methane, and Shale gas in the delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai and Cuddalore. The ban was later extended to Mayiladuthurai district in 2023," the minister said on Sunday.

According to environmentalist and president of Neithal Makkal Katchi Ku Bharathi, the Union Petroleum Ministry had identified hydrocarbon reserves in 30,000 square kilometers of shallow sea areas and 95,000 square km of deep-sea areas adjacent to it in the landmasses of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, following the auction of the blocks in February this year.

"The project would affect the livelihood of the people in 608 fishing villages in 14 coastal districts," he said.

"Already, faced with the crisis of depleting fisheries resources, the fishers were left with no option but to take deep-sea fishing. This hydrocarbon project should be abrogated in the interest of the fisheries sector and the coastal environment," Bharathi told PTI.

Fishermen from the coastal districts have been protesting against the project and have demanded the Centre to cancel it.

Opposing the project, ruling DMK’s ally, MDMK has sought the state government to revoke the environmental clearance given for the project. "It's a threat to fishermen’s livelihood and the environment," MDMK chief Vaiko said.

"The Union Government should review and withdraw the environmental clearance granted by the Tamil Nadu government to the ONGC hydrocarbon gas extraction project," Vaiko said in a statement here.

While the AIADMK had opposed the project at the initial stage of permitting the ONGC to take up drilling and demanded the project be scrapped, the PMK has expressed concerns that the drilling could cause seawater to contaminate the groundwater.

Claiming that the ONGC had applied for the clearance in October 2023, PMK leader Dr Anbumani Ramadoss alleged that the wells were dug up to 3,000 feet below the ground.

"The technology used for hydrocarbon extraction would cause earthquakes and other disasters. Moreover, the entire district would transform into a desert," Anbumani said in a statement. PTI JSP JSP KH