The hydrocarbon project in the delta region including Thiruvarur, Nagappatinam, Pudukottai, Thanjavore districts of Tamil Nadu continue to face the ire of the farmers of the region. The central government has given in-principle approval to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and the Vedanta group for hydro carbon extraction in the region. The farmers are protesting against the move, but the state government has failed to clear its stand on the project.
In a recent development, the fishermen of Vizhuppuram district have joined the farmers in opposing the project.
The farmers of the delta region, known as the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu, have accused the central and state governments of betraying the farming community by converting the region into a petrochemical region. The pipelines in the region are being laid with heavy police protection. Cases were also registered against the protesting farmers and leaders of several farmers’ associations.
On Friday, the farmers protested against laying of pipelines in Memathur village of Nagapattinam district on the fields where farming for the Kuruvai crop has been started. The vehicles of ONGC were seen digging pits to lay the pipelines, while damaging the paddy saplings. The farmers of the regions reeling under severe water crisis have managed to bring up the sapling after a lot of struggle.