TN Govt will not implement any project that affect farmers : Minister’s assurance

Tamil Nadu Industries Minister M C Sampath today informed the State Assembly that the state government has not given any permission for the hydro-carbon project at Neduvasal in Pudukottai district.

Replying to a special call attention motion, he said the government,which was functioning on the path laid out by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa would always stand by the farmers.

Listing out the steps taken by the government to allay the fears ofthe locals and the farmers, who staged a massive protest on the issue,the Minister said since the farmers have expressed their opposition to the project and that their livelihood would be affected, the governmentwould not accord any sanction for the project.

”The people of Neduvasal village, farmers need not have any fearsabout it”, he said and promised that the state government would not implement any scheme that affected the farmers.

Mr Sampath also recalled the Chief Minister taking up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his meeting with New Delhi. During the meeting, the Chief Minister requested him to instruct the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to take any further action in this regard only after adequate consultation with stakeholders and ensuring that the interests of the farmers were fully safeguarded.

It will not be advisable for ONGC to proceed with any mining activity in Neduvasal without clearance from the State Government. Earlier, speaking on the issue, Leader of the Opposition M K Stalin (DMK) wanted the government to adopt a resolution in the StateAssembly on the lines of the one passed during the massive Jallikattuprotests and forward the same to the Centre for its approval.