Chennai: In a significant move that could cheer the delta farmers, the Centre on Saturday announced that it would not coerce the Tamil Nadu government to implement the coal-bed methane extraction project.
Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan who was in the city on Saturday said that the “Government of India is not going to force or apply force.”
“We can proceed with the project only after consulting the state government and after taking the local community into confidence,” he said. The minister was reacting to queries from the media on the farmers’ opposition to the Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd’s project in delta districts and also State government halting the project in 2013.
Earlier, while participating in the golden jubilee of the Chennai Petroleum Corporation, a subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation, at Manali near here the minister underscored the importance of monetising gas in the interest of youth of Tamil Nadu, for their employment, for the industry and for the business.
“Our government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed towards Energy Justice & CPCL has a large role to play in it," he added.
Mr Pradhan who commissioned the Mounded Bullets at the CPCL refinery, said the Mounded Bullets facility would enhance the safety and storage capacity of LPG at the refinery. CPCL was meeting the energy demands of Tamil Nadu and nearby states with “great reliability”.
He unveiled a memorabilia, symbolising the 50 years of CPCL refinery on the occasion. Union minister of state for road transport, highways and shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan reviewed the performance of CPCL.
