Lok Sabha Question No. 403 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-18
Subject: ONGC Projects in Tamil Nadu
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: ANBUMANI RAMADOSS, BALASUBRAMANIAM SENGUTTUVAN

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 403 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2017

ONGC Projects in Tamil Nadu

403. DR. ANBUMANI RAMADOSS: SHRI B. SENGUTTUVAN:

पेट्रोल ियम एवं प्राक ृ तिक गैस मंत्री

## Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of wide spread protests, strikes and resistance launched by the farmers and the local population against the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC)  for  its  hydrocarbon  explorations  in  Neduvasal  and  Kadiramangalam  villages  of Tamil Nadu  and if so, the details thereof along with the measures taken by the Government/ONGC  to  protect  and  prevent  the  environmental  degradations  and  land  and water pollutions;
- (b)  whether  the  agitation  in  Neduvasal  in  Pudukottai  district  of  Tamil  Nadu  is  against acquisition of fertile agricultural land from  the  farmers  for drilling small wells for hydrocarbon extraction and agitation in Kadiramangalam in Thanjavur district is against the conduct of oil exploration that would affect the ground water conditions and if so, the details thereof along with the corrective steps taken

by the Government in this regard;

- (c) whether public hearing meetings have been conducted with the land owners and residents of the land marked for the project and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has received any objections/protests against the implementation of  the  said  project  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  steps  taken/stand  of  the Government in this regard;
- (e) whether the Government/ONGC proposes to extract Coal Bed Methane/ hydrocarbon and shale  gas  projects  in  the  Cauvery  Delta  Region/other  places  of  Tamil  Nadu  and  if  so,  the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government to protect the livelihood of the farmers and others in nearby villages and cancel/withdraw all such Hydrocarbon exploration projects being carried out in Tamil Nadu; and
- (f) whether the Government proposes to declare the Cauvery Delta Region as 'Protected Agricultural Zone' to prevent further installation and implementation of environmentally hazardous industrial projects in the said region and if so, the details thereof and the stand taken by the Government on the said issue?

## Answer

पेट्रोल ियम एवं प्राक ृ तिक गैस मंत्रािय में मंत्री ( श्री धमेंद्र प्रधान )

MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS

## (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a) to (c):  Under Discovered Small Field (DSF) Policy bid round 2016,  the Government has approved award of 31 contract areas including Neduvasal, Tamil Nadu contract area to the successful bidders for early development of fields. Subsequently, some local people/organizations,  have  submitted  representations  objecting  to  the  award  of  above discovered small field expressing apprehension regarding possible environmental impact.

For starting any petroleum activity, operator of the field awarded under DSF has to obtain or get the requisite Mining Lease transferred from Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Limited through the State Government. After the grant/transfer of lease, to start any actual operations the operator will have to get requisite environmental clearances from State Government  /  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  by  following  the prescribed process, which may involve public hearing also. The awarded projects are taken up for production only after following the requisite process including obtaining environmental clearances.

ONGC is not starting any new project in Kathiramangalam village, Thanjavur.

Further,  ONGC  has  been  carrying  Exploration  and  Production  (E&P)  activities  in Cauvery  Basin  including  Neduvasal,  Tamil  Nadu  for  more  than  50  years  and  no  adverse effect  have  been  noticed  in  respect  of  agriculture  and  ecology.  Besides,  ONGC  is  also working for socio-economic development of the region under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.

- (d)               Some local people/organizations, have submitted representations objecting to the  award  of  some  discovered  small  fields  expressing  apprehension  regarding  possible environmental  impact.    Two  petitions,  in  this  regard,  have  been  filed  in  National  Green Tribunal (NGT), Southern Zone, Chennai.

ONGC in collaboration with local administration  disseminated information through various local media to allay the fears of people about environmental degradation. Clarification  to  various  misconceptions  on  Methane/Shale  Gas,  depletion  /pollution  of ground  water,  effect  on  agricultural  land,  intricacies  to  Exploration  and  Production(E&P) activities,  technologies,  statutory  requirement  etc.  were  provided  to  State  Government  and local people through various local media.

(e) and (f): There are no Coal Bed Methane (CBM) and Shale activities going on in the State of Tamil Nadu.  ONGC is neither carrying out nor having any plans for exploitation of Shale gas, Shale oil or CBM in Cauvery Basin. Further, Exploration and Production activities are coexisting with agriculture not only in Tamil Nadu but also in several delta regions in the other parts of the country.

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