CHENNAI: Political parties, including allies of the ruling DMK, reacted with shock on Sunday after the Tamil Nadu State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) granted environmental clearance for drilling 20 onshore exploratory wells in Ramanathapuram. Later in the evening, Environment Minister Thangam Thennarasu clarified that the state would ask SEIAA to withdraw the clearance given to ONGC for the wells.
MDMK general secretary, Vaiko, in a statement, said the clearance given to ONGC will affect the livelihood of fishermen and also the environment. Hence, the TN government should review the clearance given and withdraw it. PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said his party has already opposed such a clearance to ONGC, and despite that, the government had proceeded to grant it. The technology to be used for onshore exploratory wells would make the Ramanathapuram district a desert.
AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran said, contrary to the promise made by the DMK government that no permission would be granted for hydrocarbon exploration, the clearance has been given covertly. The expert committee headed by Professor Sultan Ismail submitted a detailed report on the adverse impacts of hydrocarbon wells already established in the Cauvery delta. He said the failure to release the report deepens the suspicions against the government.
Manithaneya Makkal Katchi president MH Jawahirullah said that already, Chief Minister MK Stalin had promised that he would not allow hydrocarbon wells anywhere in TN. But contrary to his promise, the clearance given to ONGC has come as a big shock to the farmers as well as environmentalists.