DMK wants proposed hydrocarbon extraction project stopped

A delegation of two DMK MPs today met Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and demanded the Centre stop the proposed hydrocarbon extraction and exploration project in Pudukottai district in Tamil Nadu.
Rajya Sabha MPs Kanimozhi and Tiruchi Siva met the union minister and apprised him on the ongoing protests in the state over the hydrocarbon extraction project which has raised fears of water scarcity and negative effect on agriculture.
They also submitted a letter on behalf of DMK working president and state opposition leader M K Stalin on the issue.
"We placed the demand of people of entire state before the union minister and asked him to give up on the project," Siva said.

"Agriculture should not be affected because of such projects. It is also feared that the project would bring scarcity in drinking water in future," he added.
The minister informed the delegation that the Centre will not be able to take the project forward without the state's permission, Siva said.

The state government had yesterday said it had not given any approval to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to take up a hydrocarbon project at Neduvasal, and clarified that decisions inimical to public interest will not be taken.
On February 15, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave its approval to award contract to 44 fields, including 28 on-land and 16 offshore fields, discovered by ONGC and Oil India Limited.

The protests broke out following the move.