Chennai: Vaiko warns Centre on hydrocarbon projects

Chennai: MDMK general secretary Vaiko made a strong demand in the Rajya Sabha that Centre should refrain from permitting the drilling for hydrocarbons in Tamil Nadu, saying the “most disastrous and dangerous” activity will destroy the fertile land in the Cauvery delta and the region would turn into another Ethiopia.

He said parts of Tamil Nadu would become a “desert” when water and chemicals from hydrocarbon wells are discharged on the agriculture land. He demanded that the Centre withdraw permission to state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and Vedanta Ltd for drilling wells, otherwise the Cauvery delta, which is the granary of Asia, would turn into a desert and young people would have go with begging bow

“The Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is so arrogant and audacious to say on 17th of this month they will implement the project, come what may”, Vaiko said and recalled that “millions and millions” of men and women from all walks of life had been agitating against the hydrocarbon project for the last three years.

While the Union Government would get “billions and billions of rupees” from the project, Tamil Nadu would become a desert and turn into “another Ethiopia” and future generations would “become refugees with begging bowls”, he said and urged the Centre to halt the projects given to ONGC and Vedanta or else the “people of Tamil Nadu will rise in revolt and you will face disastrous consequences. I warn you today”.

“No warning can be given in the House”, responded House Chairman Venkaiah Naidu. “And number two, Vaiko, you have gone high speed. You have made your point. Always confine (to the point) and at the end (say) this is (your) suggestion, (your) demand. That's how we go about it”.