CM renews appeal for ending stir against hydrocarbon project

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami has appealed to protesters opposing hydrocarbon project in Pudukottai district to give up their stir in view of his government's assurance it would not to allow any anti-farmers project.
In his second appeal to residents of Neduvasal who are on the protest for nearly three weeks, he said the government had not given its permission for the hydrocarbon extraction and exploration project in the village.
The Chief Minister had on March 1 assured representatives of the Neduvasal villagers who met him in Chennai that the state government will not implement any project inimical to farmers' interest and asked them to withdraw the agitation.

However, the protesters have said they would continue the agitation till the Centre announced scrapping of the project.
Participating in a government function here late last night, Palaniswami said the state government had not given permission for the hydro-carbon project.
"As the farmers fear that the project could affect their farming, the state government will not give pemission for the project. There is no need for the farmers and people of Neduvasal to fear about the project," he said.

"We will not permit any project that will affect the livelihood of farmers of the state," he said, urging the people to drop the agitation accepting the assurance.

Earlier, he inaugurated completed projects to the tune of Rs.623.56 crore and laid the foundation stone for new projects and said the AIADMK government would show sufficient care for the welfare of the farmers.
It had announced a major scheme, costing Rs.803 crore for boosting rain-fed farming, he said.
The government was also taking to steps to provide sufficient compensation under new crop insurance scheme, the Chief Minister added.