CPCL assures to remove crude oil pipeline permanently by May

TIRUCHY: The peace talk held on Thursday between the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL) and the fishermen of Nagore and the adjacent hamlets in the presence of the fisheries department officials decided to remove the crude oil pipeline permanently before May 31 from Pattinacherry village.

There were a series of protests by the fishermen of seven villages including Akkaraipettai, Keechankuppam, and Pattinacherry after a burst occurred in the crude oil pipeline belonging to CPCL on March 2 and the layer of oil substance present in the sea triggered more tension and the fishers commenced their indefinite strike demanding the removal of pipeline permanently.

Later, upon assurance by the Nagapattinam District Collector Dr Arun Thamburaj that steps would be initiated to permanently close the pipeline and ordered a temporary closure on March 7 and the fishermen withdrew their strike.

Fishermen from Akkaraipettai, Keechankuppam, Pattinacherry, and Narimanam villages during talk with the CPCL official raised concerns about the environmental pollution and threat to the marine ecosystem and the officials denied any such threat and told the fishermen that the fish caught is safe to consume. Subsequently, both the fishermen’s representatives and the CPCL officials signed the agreement.