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:

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:

On the fears of groundwater getting contaminated, Frontline quoted him saying that

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

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