CHENNAI: Outrightly rejecting the demand of MK Stalin to take a policy decision on not allowing the hydrocarbon project in the State, Law Minister CVe Shanmugam on Tuesday told the Assembly that the State has the powers to initiate criminal proceedings against any company that implements the project without State’s approval.
“There is no need for arriving at a policy decision on this issue since already rules do not permit any company to implement the hydrocarbon project without consent of the State. The Tamil Nadu government will never allow any project which will affect farmers as well as the environment,” the minister said.
“The companies that have got permission from the Centre have filed applications before the State government for conducting feasibility study, but the State government has not taken any decision on these applications,” he said and added that the State government could not be held responsible for some people staging protests for a non-issue.