THANJAVUR: The State government’s announcement of scrapping the GO for the creation of Petroleum, Chemicals & Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) zone, covering Nagappattinam, Cuddalore has brought relief to farmers and activists in the delta. They, however, requested the government to ban use of hydraulic fracturing technology in the delta districts, saying it was detrimental to ecology.
V Sethuraman, State resource person of the Tamil Nadu Science Movement, said the decision to cancel the GO for the PCPIR has demonstrated the Government’s intention to create the protected agriculture zone in a holistic way. The actions of the Chief Minister had instilled confidence among the public. he added.
He, however, wanted the governnment to clarify on the status of projects that came into force prior to the announcement. “Shale gas is a hydrocarbon and to extract it, the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is inevitable, Sethuraman said and pointed out that it was banned in several countries.
P Maniyarasan, coordinator of Cauvery Rights Retrieval Committee (CRRC) welcomed cancelling of the GO for PCPIR. But he wanted the Government to whether exploratory works for which the Union Government had given nod would be allowed or not.