Panel to go into pros and cons of Hydrocarbon projects:TN govt

Amid continuing opposition to Hydrocarbon initiatives, Tamil Nadu Law Minister C Ve Shanmugam Tuesday indicated setting up of an expert committee to go into the pros and cons of such projects in the State.

Responding to DMK chief and Leader of Opposition, M K Stalin, who raised the hydrocarbon issue in the Assembly, Shanmugam said former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had set up a panel to look into similar issues like methane exploration and later rejected such initiatives based on the recommendations of the committee.

"A similar measure will be followed by the government," he said apparently indicating that a panel was likely to be set up.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami will be consulted on the matter, he said.

Earlier, Stalin referred to Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's statement while answering queries of his party MPs in Lok Sabha that MoU has been signed for two hydrocarbon projects and approval for Methane initiatives has not been given.

Recalling that Shanmugam had recently assured that the state government has not given permission for hydrocarbon projects in Tamil Nadu, the DMK leader urged the government to take a policy decision against such initiatives.

Shanmugam said the Centre, as per its new Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy, was auctioning blocks and entered into MoU with successful entities.

Though such entities may enter into an agreement with the Centre, it is compulsory to get the approval of the state government for either exploration or production of hydrocarbon (on land) in Tamil Nadu, he asserted citing related legal provisions.

He said the state government has received applications from firms who have entered into an MoU with the Centre.

The state government has however not communicated any decision on such applications, the minister added.

He recalled that following opposition from farmers, Jayalalithaa had set up a panel to look into (coal bed methane exploration) projects in Tamil Nadu and later cancelled the approval (given during DMK rule).

On protests, he said the government cannot own up responsibility for it, adding they cannot do anything about agitations being held for political reasons.

Stalin however insisted that government take a policy decision on the matter so that farmers could heave a sigh of relief.

Shanmugam wondered the need for a policy decision against hydrocarbon projects when the law clearly empowered the government to act against such initiatives.

No project can come up without the state government's permission and it had the legal authority to even initiate criminal action if projects were still taken up, he asserted.

Earlier this month too, the issue was discussed in the assembly, with Shanmugam categorically saying the state government had not granted permission to either explore or produce hydrocarbon in Tamil Nadu and was firm on not according sanction for such initiatives in future as well.

Though 13 applications were received for exploration and production at a later stage from entities, including the ONGC, the state government has not given permission to anyone, he had said.