COIMBATORE: Farmers whose lands have been used under the IDPL gas pipeline project say the work is being carried out by force, with police protection.
In a petition submitted to the superintendent of police K Karthikeyan on Friday, they urged him to remove police from fields.
“In 1999, Petronet - CCK Company laid a pipeline from Irugur to Karur through agricultural fields. During that time, they had given a promise that road facilities would be provided to farmers on both sides of the pipeline, once works are completed. But after completion of the project, BPCL took over the Petronet - CCK project,” said R Ravikumar, a coordinator of the IDPL Petrol Pipeline Affected Farmers Committee.
“At present, BPCL is implementing another pipeline project from Irugur to Devanagonthi in Karnataka. This project is being carried out through fields from Irugur and extends to Muthur in Tiruppur district at the same place where the Petronet-CCK project was acquired in 1999,” he added.
“Bharat Petroleum never received permission from the central government to implement the IDPL project at the same location as the concession for the Petronet-CCK project. This is illegal. Based on the 1999 order issued to Petronet - CCK project vide 7 (1) notification PMP act -1963, the IDPL project is now being illegally taken up by BPCL” he said.