Protest rages against hydrocarbon project

Protest rages against hydrocarbon project

The ongoing protest against hydrocarbon exploration and extraction in the state intensified on Saturday as a group of students and youths, mobilised through social media, staged a daylong hunger strike in Tiruvarur, opposing the project.

One of the organizers of the protest, S Raja, an MBA student of Sir Isaac Newton College in Nagapattinam said that 15 spots, including Adiyakkamangalam, Nannilam, Athichapuram, Koothanallur, Vijayapuram and Poondi, have been earmarked for this exploration project.

“This is a token protest.We plan to organize a mas We plan to organize a massive stir against the proposed project. We will mobilise youngsters to join in our efforts against the Union government’s move to spoil our fertile lands,“ he said.

Meanwhile, the protests in Neduvasal, Pudukottai district, entered its second day on Saturday .

State health minister C Vijayabaskar visited Neduvasal and held talks with the protesters on Saturday evening.

He assured them that the Tamil Nadu government would ensure the livelihood of farmers would not be affected. Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy would carry forward the farmer’s concerns to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

People from 20 villages across Pudukkottai district began protesting against the hydrocarbon extraction project mooted by the union government and being executed by ONGC at various places in Tamil Nadu.

Borewells were dug across Neduvasal, Kallikollai, Vanakkankadu Karukkakurichi and Kottaikadu by ONGC.

Following oil seepage from the borewell at Vanak kankadu, villagers panicked, not sure whether it would pollute their agricultural land and destroy their livelihood. Villagers commenced their protest in Neduvasal after making a `pandal’ near the borewell and are still protesting there.

Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan appealed to the protesters not to oppose the hydrocarbon extraction project blindly .

Meanwhile, a group of youths organized by `Thanneer’, an NGO, will undertake a two-wheeler rally to Neduvasal from Trichy to show their support for the cause on Sunday .

https://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31807&articlexml=CONCERNS-RAISED-Protest-rages-against-hydrocarbon-project-26022017005005

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