Chennai: Neduvasal hydrocarbon extraction project will be nixed if the Tamil Nadu government stands its ground despite the Union government signing an agreement with a private company on Monday. Hours after Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan signed an agreement with 16 companies for extracting hydrocarbon in 31 locations across the country, the state government reiterated its stand that no permission will be granted for the project.
With Mr Pradhan himself making it clear that work on the hydrocarbon extraction project will start only after the state government gives its nod, Pudukottai district collector S.Ganesh gave an undertaking to the people of Neduvasal and other neighbouring villages that “no permission” to launch the project will be given by the TN Government.
“Since people have vociferously opposed the project, we have stopped all the approvals to the proposed project,” Mr Ganesh told reporters late on Monday evening. The project will not see the light of the day if the Tamil Nadu Government is consistent in its stand since a majority of the permissions or nods that are needed for commissioning of the project has to be sought from it.
As reported by Deccan Chronicle on March 27, the Centre and the State were heading for a major standoff on the issue if the Union Government went ahead with the agreement signing ceremony on Monday with GEM Laboratories for the mega project.
Earlier in the day, Mr Pradhan once again appealed to the people of Neduvasal to allow the project, since it is expected to bring “employment and development” in the area.
The event comes just four days after Mr Pradhan said the Petroleum Ministry was even ready to conduct tripartite talks between the Union Government, State Government and the locals to find an amicable solution to the raging controversy.
These fields were offered through an open and transparent international competitive bidding process. The bidding was open to all, including National Oil Companies (i.e. ONGC & OIL) and other central and state PSUs.
