MAYILADUTHURAI: Villagers and activists stopped a truck carrying equipment belonging to ONGC in Thiruvelvikudi village near Kuthalam, fearing that the company was planning to dig new wells there. They staged a road roko, affecting the traffic on Wednesday afternoon.
This is the second such incident reported since the last week. On December 28, trucks transporting pipes and other equipment from Anjaruvarthalai to Malliam were stopped by locals. The revenue officials told them that the equipment were transferred for storage and not any installation. The trucks were sent back.
According to sources, on Wednesday, residents of Thiruvelvikudi and Kadalangudi villagers saw a truck carrying an equipment to a well belonging to ONGC near Kuthalam and waylaid it. Activists from ‘Anti Methane Project Movement’ too joined in the protest.
Coordinator of the movement, T Jayaraman, said, “The movement of ONGC equipment in and around Kuthalam and Mayiladuthurai blocks has increased. We are worried and suspicious of drilling activities in our village. The district falls under Protected Special Agricultural Zone and we will not allow any more drillings.”
On learning about the road roko, revenue officials held talks with the protesters. Though the villagers were told that ONGC was bringing equipment to maintain an existing well, they were not convinced. A revenue official from Kuthalam, said, “The well in Thiruvelvikudi is active.
ONGC was bringing equipment to maintain it. We asked ONGC not to carry out any maintenance activity in the well without a consultative meeting.” The officials directed ONGC to resume the maintenance activity only after getting prior permission from the district collector or Mayiladuthurai RDO. The villagers dispersed after officials intervened.