HC reserves orders on GAIL plea

Madras High Court today reserved orders on a plea filed by Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) challenging a state government notification asking it to stop placing pipelines in agricultural lands and implement the project by laying them along National Highways.
The First Bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice R K Agrawal and Justice M Sathyanarayanan, reserved orders after hearing the parties.
Tamil Nadu government issued the direction to GAIL to lay its pipeline along the National Highway in the wake of protests by farmers that the pipeline project would affect their farming operations.
The GAIL maintained that it was not possible to shift the pipeline route and asserted it benefited farmers.

The Kochi-Mangalore Gas Pipe Line project passes across districts in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.