Gas pipelines realigned; to be laid along highways: Minister

“At present eight natural gas projects are going on in the state and four are nearing completion. At a meeting between the Secretary of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, representatives of oil companies and the officials of the state, it was decided that the pipelines would be laid along the highways. Unfortunately, a farmer identified as Ganesan committed suicide at a time when the realignment works have started,” the Minister said responding to the special calling attention motion moved by PMK, CPM, CPI and Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK) Earlier, PMK floor leader GK Mani said that after GAIL forced Ganesan to handover his one-acre farmland he committed suicide. Thanking Chief Minister MK Stalin for announcing a solatium of Rs 5 lakh to the family of Ganesan, the PMK leader urged the state to provide a government job to one of the three children of Ganesan. ER Eswaran from KMDK said that farmers of seven districts, through which the pipeline are to be laid, told him during a meeting that they do not want pipelines to be taken through in their farmlands. Thangam Thennarasu replied that the state government will protect the rights of farmers and no farmland will be acquired without the consent of the owners.