IOCL rejects shifting the gas pipeline project from Pottalkadu?
THOOTHUKUDI : The technical team of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) refused to shift the underground natural gas pipeline project to 500-metre away from the proposed site in Pottalkadu village. The villagers had been protesting against the project for the past few months. Pottalkadu comes under the Mullakadu panchayat on Thoothuthukudi-Tiruchendur road. The villagers claimed that the pipelines traverse much closer to the residential areas. The pipes are around 150-300 metres close to a government high school, they said.
Rasing concerns over untoward incidents, the villagers resorted to a sit-in protest. They demanded shifting of the project to two other alternate routes considering their safety.
During a peace talk at the collectorate on July 16, Collector Sandeep Nanduri assured the protesters that he would resolve the issue amicably. He suggested the IOCL project proponents look into the feasibility of shifting the project 500-meter away from the earmarked location, said the village leaders, who attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, the IOCL authorities inspected the village earlier this week and studied the feasibility of shifting the project. A senior official from IOCL told TNIE that it is not viable to shift the project 500-metre away. "Maximum, we can shift the project 50-metre away from the proposed site," he said. Shifting it beyond 50 metres would cut through other survey numbers and it would be a tougher task, he added.
Part of 1444.6 km-long gas pipeline project
The IOCL has been laying 1444.6 km-long underground natural gas pipeline project through Ennore-Thiruvallur-Bengaluru-Puducherry-Nagapattinam-Madurai-Thoothukudi. The pipes are laid to distribute Regasified-Liquified Natural Gas (R-LNG) from the Ennore LNG terminal at Kamarajar port to industries across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The Mullakadu village panchayat in Thoothukudi is located at the dead-end of the project’s location in south Tamil Nadu.
Bail denied to head constable in Sathankulam case
MADURAI: The Madurai District Court dismissed a bail petition filed by one of the police personnel arrested in connection with the alleged custodial death of two Sathankulam traders.
Additional District Judge I, M Thandavan, who was the Principal District Judge (in-charge) on Thursday, passed the order on a petition filed by one Murugan, who was a head constable at Sathankulam police station. Murugan submitted that he was arrested on July 1, 2020, on false allegations that he was responsible for the alleged custodial torture and death of two Sathankulam traders -- Jeyaraj and Beniks. Claiming that the duo died due to sickness and that he has nothing to do with their death, Murugan prayed the court to grant him bail.
However, Special Public Prosecutor for CBI strongly opposed the same citing that the investigation was in initial stage and the release of Murugan on bail would cause threat to the witnesses.
Selvarani, wife of the deceased Jeyaraj, also opposed the grant of bail. Considering the submissions, the judge dismissed the petition. The bail petitions filed by two more accused -- Muthuraj and Thomas Francis is expected to be heard on Friday.