The Tamil Nadu government today said it has been exerting pressure on the Centre 'to the extent possible' against the Hydrocarbon project as the state would not allow any project that affects farmers.
Speaking in the state assembly,he also alleged that people were being instigated to protest against such projects with a view to bring a bad name to the government.
"I told Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly when I met him that people are apprehensive about the Hydrocarbon (project)," Chief Minister K Palaniswami informed the state assembly .
Intervening when Leader of the Oppsition M K Stalin, who raised issues pertaining to Hydrocarbon project in Neduvasal and the ONGC oil exploration project in Kathiramangalam,the CM said he had apprised Modi when he met him in Delhi that Tamil Nadu would not allow any project affecting farmers' interests.
"I told him that he (Centre) should take steps so as to clear the apprehensions," Palaniswami said.
He said his party was not part of the government at the Centre unlike DMK which was part of both BJP and Congress led regimes at the Centre.
Hence the government has been exerting whatever pressure it could, being only an opposition party, he said.
On the ongoing protest againsrt ONGC at Kathiramangalam in Thanjavur district, the CM said the pipelines at the village were 15 years old. When these were to be replaced, some had halted it and instigated the protest, he said.
All these projects (in Neduvasal and Kathiramangalam) are already there and it was not set up now, he said.
He alleged that some political parties and some anti-socials were instigating the innocent people to bring a bad name to the government.
"I feel that they are holding protests and instigating people only to bring a bad name to the government. Amma's government is doing all good things to the farmers," he said.
On the Hydrocarbon project, he said the government has so far not given permission for it.
As regards ONGC,the nod for excavation was given in 1989 in respect of 7049.70 square km falling under the districts of Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli and Pudukottai, he said.
Palaniswami said the task (excavation by ONGC) has been completed and the government would not allow any project which could affect farmers.
Stalin referred to Palaniswami's anti-social remark on the protests sought to know who these anti-social elements were and what kind of action had been taken against them.
He said DMK was not blaming repairing of pipes but only bringing to the CM's notice the baton-charge and people getting beaten up when they were protesting since the leaking pipes were affecting their farm lands.
Meanwhile, in a statement here, rebel AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam urged the government to withdraw cases against those arrested in connection with the protests at Kathiramangalam and release them.
He said people there were boycotting peace initatives of Thanjavur District Collector, saying they would take part in the meet only if those arrested were released.
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