Cauvery delta region will become desert, says DMK

Chennai: Contending that the proposed move to permit hydrocarbon exploration in the state would convert the Cauvery delta region into a desert, DMK Chief M.K. Stalin lashed out at the Centre for awarding the contracts in the Cauvery delta area to ONGC and Vedanta group.

“Ever since the fascist BJP government came to power at the Centre, it has been implementing schemes such as hydrocarbon (exploration), Sterlite, GAIL (pipeline project) and Neutrino observatory, which are against Tamil Nadu,” Mr Stalin said in a statement while announcing an agitation on behalf of his party at the Tiruvallur bus stand on Wednesday. He appealed to the people and party cadres of Thanjavur, Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur to participate in large numbers in the protest. 

He claimed that the blocks in Tamil Nadu were located in Chidambaram for ONGC and at two places in the Cauvery delta for the Vedanta group. Such a project would turn the Cauvery delta, which was Tamil Nadu’s “rice bowl,” into a desert and severely affect farmers in the region.

PMK youth wing leader Dr Anbumani Ramadoss has warned the Centre that large-scale protests in Tamil Nadu would erupt if it implemented the proposed hydrocarbon exploration in three blocks.

“The rights to extract hydrocarbons have been given to ONGC and Vedanta firms. There are plans to extract hydrocarbons from 24 places in these zones. If this plan is implemented, the delta region will become a desert,” he said.

The proposed blocks were Marakkanam to Cuddalore, Parangipettai to Velankanni and Kullanchavadi to Tharangapadi, he said.