Chennai: Centre has not shelved any hydrocarbon projects in the delta districts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, said Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameswar Teli on Monday.
In the Parliament, the Union Minister of State gave a written response to a question of DMK MP Kalayanasundaram on the current status of hydrocarbon projects in Delta districts and whether the projects have been shelved after opposition from farmers.
On Monday, Teli said, “Contractors of the Exploration Blocks awarded under Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) in delta districts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have submitted applications to the concerned State Governments of delta regions for grant of Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) and Petroleum Mining Lease (PML).”
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Till now, hydrocarbon production activities are carried out in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and WB. The exploration works are conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and WB. These are carried out under Nomination and Contract Regimes, said Teli.
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Meanwhile, the Centre has not shelved the project despite TN CM's demand to stall the project since hydrocarbon extraction in the delta districts of the state is in violation of Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act 2020.
The CM also wrote to PM Modi in June 2021 stating that no new hydrocarbon project should be taken up in Cauvery delta districts and surrounding areas in order to protect the livelihood of the farmers and the agro-ecology.