Vijayawada: Shale gas exploration has become a source of worry to the residents of Krishna, West Godavari and East Godavari districts. The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is gearing up to dig five exploratory wells in the Krishna Godavari (KG) Basin, at an estimated cost of Rs 217 crore.
Meanwhile local residents are gearing up to agitate against the exploration, as shale gas creates environmental imbalances. The All India Progressive Forum organised a meeting with local residents on Wednesday and discussed the harmful effects of the exploration.
Dr C. Babu Rao, former Chemical engineer at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, spoke to this paper and said that the extraction of shale gas involves a high-risk process of hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking.
In this process, million gallons of a fluid mixture consisting of water and chemical additives are injected underground, to open fractures in rock formations and stimulate the flow of natural gas into the wells; and the process is capable of creating imbalances in the ecosystem.
He elaborated that shale gas explorations have an adverse effects on the environment; chemically pumped liquids destroy the fertility of soil and contaminate groundwater, affecting cultivation.
“The United State Geological Survey has estimated that 6.15 trillion cubic feet of shale gas reserves are available in India, of which the KG Basin holds the majority”, he said.
He added that shale gas explorations are expensive as well as dangerous. Harmful gases like methane and radon are often released as a result of the extraction process, and they pollute the air. He pointed out that developed nations such as France, Bulgaria, Netherlands, and Switzer-land have stopped using shale gas after examining its adverse effects.
Representatives from the villages of Kommalapudi and Modumudi in Krishna District, and Kalavacherla of East Godavari district participated in the meeting. Y. Rajesh, a human rights activist from Amalapuram, said that the local MRO had conducted a public hearing at Kalava-cheruvu without identifying the project site.
