Licence will not be given to Neduvasal hydrocarbon project, assures Sampath

Replying to a special calling attention motion on the plight of farmers at Neduvasal in Pudukottai district, he said the ONGC was sanctioned permission to conduct research in the area on August 28, 1989, following which the Central government had allotted extraction rights to Gem Laboratories on February 15, this year. 

Health Minister C Vijayabasker, intervening, said that mining licence would not be granted to ONGC which had applied for 10.10 sq km which was still pending with the Pudukottai district administration. Similarly, state pollution control board clearance would also not be granted for the project, he added. 

This, sources said, left Congress MLA KR Ramasamy wondering how the state government could cancel the agreement between ONGC and private farmers in the area. The Central government had also not announced withdrawal of the project, he added. 

MC Sampath added that farmers’ representatives met Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy on March 1 after he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 27 where he appraised the latter on this issue. Though farmers had withdrawn their agitation temporarily, he assured them that their welfare would be safeguarded and that they need have no fear. 

Meanwhile, Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan and Nirmala Sitharaman conducted talks with farmers at Neduvasal on Wednesday and assured them that the government will not go ahead with the project without addressing their concerns.