THANJAVUR: Alleging that Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) has been operating many of its wells in Cauvery delta without getting permission from Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), the Federation against the proposed methane project has appealed to the TNPCB to take action against ONGC and close the wells for which permission has not been given. Prof T. Jayaraman, chief coordinator of the Federation, said that ‘Cauvery Delta Watch and Chennai Solidarity Group’ have conducted field studies of the ONGC activities in Cauvery delta districts. As per the report prepared by them many of the wells of ONGC allegedly have not got permission from TNPCB.
He cited the examples of wells operated at Nannilam and Kadambankudi. The TNPCB allegedly “rejected” these two wells and gave its order on December 27, 2017. “But the wells are functioning,” Jayaraman said.
He also said that public hearing before digging of wells and their oprationalisation were not held in many instances.
The ONGC has told TNPCB that there are 219 wells in the delta and out of them only 71 are functioning. “But for many of these wells in operation TNPCB permission has not been got,” claimed Jayaraman.
A report prepared by the ‘Cauvery Delta Watch and Chennai Solidarity Group’ was released here recently, said a press release issued by Prof. Jayaraman.
