Chennai, Aug 18:
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government will not permit any project that adversely affects the interests of fishermen or damages the environment, Minister Rajeev told the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday.
The minister was responding to a special attention motion on the environmental impact of development wells proposed by Hindustan Oil Exploration Company (HOEC) in the Cuddalore region.
During the discussion, Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi (MJK) MLA Thamimun Ansari urged the government to reject HOEC’s proposal to establish a hydrocarbon well at Parangipettai.
He said local residents had been continuously protesting against the proposed drilling of four new wells, citing its possible impact on fishermen’s livelihoods and the marine environment. He urged the government to conduct a detailed assessment of the environmental consequences and reject the proposal if it posed a threat to the region.
CPI MLA Marimuthu said hydrocarbon projects could affect marine resources along the entire coastal stretch from Puducherry to Kanniyakumari.
Responding to the members, Minister Rajeev said three wells had been given permission during the previous DMK regime and another during the AIADMK regime.
He said HOEC had submitted another proposal to establish a well to the Coastal Zone Management Authority on June 1.
However, the present TVK government would not permit projects that adversely affect fisheries or the environment, the minister said.
“The TVK government will not allow any project that affects fisheries or the environment. We will take action without compromising on protecting the livelihood of fishermen,” Rajeev said.
He also stressed that the government would oppose projects that were against the interests of both the environment and coastal communities.
Responding to the minister, Thamimun Ansari said earlier governments might have granted permissions at a time when environmental awareness was not as widespread as it is today.
He claimed that the DMK government headed by former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had not granted permission for the proposed drilling and said the issue should not be reduced to an argument over which previous government had approved what.
Instead, the Assembly should focus on protecting soil and environmental resources, he said.