Tamil Nadu bans methane exploration in delta districts

Issues GO and urged centre to drop further action on the exploration in the entire Cauvery delta

Tamil Nadu government has said that no clearance will be given to coal bed methane exploration project in the delta districts of Thanjavur and Tiruvarur. The State also asked the Centre to drop further action on the exploration and allied activities in the entire Cauvery delta.

The State Government has passed a G.O - No. 186 of Industries Department dated October 8 and the order stated that the recommendations of the Expert Technical Committee headed by the TNPCB chairman to look into the various aspects of the coal bed methane exploration proposed by the Great Eastern Energy Corporation Limited have been largely accepted and was being acted upon.

It may be noted, Great Eastern was granted permission to explore and produce coal bed methane in the Mannargudi Coal Bed Methane Block spanning 691 sq.km in Tiruvarur and Thanjavur districts. The Centre entered into a production sharing agreement with the GEECL on July 29, 2010.

The previous DMK regime sanctioned the licence on January 1, 2011, for a period of four years and the State government entered into an MoU with the GEECL on January 4, 2011, promising sanctions, licences and infrastructure to help in pursuing the project.

Farmers in these areas have been objecting for the project stating that it will be a real threat for their livelihood and food security as it will affect agricultural activities.

They opposed during the public hearing in 2011 and in 2012, despite that the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has granted environment clearance for the project in 2012.

The AIADMK Government on July 17, 2013 ordered the constitution of an expert technical committee to study the GEECL project, based on which Tamil Nadu Government has passed the Order.