Chennai green tribunal lifts stay on ONGC-GAIL methane project
The Southern bench of the National Green Tribunal has vacated its interim stay issued on the methane gas project undertaken by ONGC and GAIL in the districts of Thanjavur and Thiruvarur.
Earlier, P R Pandia of Mannargudi in Thiruvarur said Oil and Natural Gas Corporation had initiated a Coal Bed Methane (CBM) exploration and production project in the Cauvery basin in Thanjavur and Thiruvarur . The state government constituted a multi-disciplinary committee to study adverse impact of the project. It also said if the project even marginally harmed the Cauvery delta, the government would not allow the project. After a gas leakage in 2014, which was followed by protest from people, the state and the Centre cancelled the licence of ONGC in July 2014.
On Monday, ONGC submitted an affidavit stating no methane extraction work was being carried. The second bench of judicial member P Jothimani and expert member R Nagendran vacated the interim stay and posted the matter to August 18 for further hearing.