Neduvasal Erupts Again: Why Tamil Nadu’s Professional Protesters Have Got Their Outrage Wrong
The protesters are gathering again in Tamil Nadu’s Neduvasal village in Pudukkottai district. Not just that, the village residents have started ‘mobilising support from adjacent villages, including Vadakadu, Pattukkottai, Karambakkudi and Aranthangi, and decided to form a core committee to oppose the project,’ the New Indian Express reported yesterday.
Reason? The Union government on Wednesday awarded contracts of discovered small fields of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and Oil India Limited. The contracts were awarded for 31 areas to 22 companies. Neduvasal area is also part of the contract and has been awarded to GEM Laboratories.
Talking to the TNIE, K Dakshinamoorthy, representative of Neduvasal protesters, said:
We suspended our protest earlier as we were assured by the district administration, State government and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan that the project would not be implemented in Pudukkottai district. But now, with the Petroleum Ministry signing contracts for the hydrocarbon project, we have decided to mobilise representatives of 70 villages around Neduvasal to prevent the oil extraction project.<i><a href="http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/mar/28/neduvasal-hydrocarbon-project-back-on-front-burner-as-centre-signs-deal-with-gem-labs-1586723.html">The New Indian Express</a></i>
Earlier Swarajya in its ground report had shown how ‘Full-Time Protesters’ were using Social Media to whip up fears against hydrocarbon project. Here, we had explained why Neduvasala residents are jittery about hydrocarbon exploration.
There is a lot of misinformation out there. Many believe that the government is looking to produce coal-bed methane and shale gas. However, Pawan Kumar, Group General Manager-Basin Manager, Cauvery, of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has clarified that this is not the case. He told Frontline:
There is no scope for exploitation of coal-bed methane in the Neduvasal area because there is no coal there. Specific types of shales are required for producing shale gas, which are absent in the Neduvasal area. We will not even go in for research and development or do any project in the name of coal-bed methane or shale gas in Tamil Nadu.
On the fears of groundwater getting contaminated, Frontline quoted him saying that
The groundwater would not get affected by oil and natural gas exploration because the groundwater that is tapped is available up to a depth of only 300 metres. But in Neduvasal and other areas, we produce oil and gas at a depth of 2,000 m or more.
No chemical was used other than “Bentonite” as drilling fluid while drilling the uppermost water table section, which is normally between 200 m to 500 m below the surface. ONGC’s Cauvery asset used non-toxic water-based drilling fluid as per the norms of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.
Some have raised objections on this project saying that the hydrocarbon extraction will lead to environmental problems and cause pollution. Talking to Frontline, Kumar said
Flaring of gas is burning of excess gas during testing until pipelines are laid to reach consumers or the nearest gathering station. It is controlled burning of gas just as it is done in a kitchen. Flaring of natural gas is the safest way of disposing of hydrocarbon gas because it will be harmful to release it directly into the atmosphere.
Dispelling the fears that production of oil would cause cancer to those living in the area, Kumar rubbed some crude oil on his hands to show that it had no harmful effects, Frontline reported.
Also Read: Neduvasal: ‘Full-Time Protesters’ Use Social Media To Whip Up Fears Against Hydrocarbon Project