THANJAVUR: Tamilaga Cauvery Vivasyigal Sangam has decided to launch a movement of farmers taking a vow not to sell land for hydrocarbon project. This was decided at a meeting of the association on Thursday.
It was pointed out to participants that general secretary of the association P R Pandian had filed a case in the National Green Tribunal for not allowing the ONGC to explore ecologically destructive hydrocarbon, shale gas and coal Bed Methane. Hearing arguments, the tribunal had given a ban. Only after the assurance given by ONGC and the State government that only the petroleum crude and natural gas would be explored the ban was lifted by the NGT. But the Union government giving nod for EIA by ONGC violated the NGT orders, the meeting pointed out.
Recalling that former chief minister J Jayalalithaa had permanently banned the exploration of coal Bed methane and hydrocarbons in the State, the association appealed to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami not to dishonour the decision made by his leader.