Chennai, June 15 (IANS) Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) Chief Coordinator Senthamizhan Seeman has strongly opposed Hindustan Oil Exploration Company’s proposal to establish four new offshore hydrocarbon wells near Parangipettai in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district, describing the move as alarming and environmentally destructive.
In a statement issued on Monday, Seeman said the proposal comes at a time when people across Tamil Nadu are continuing their struggle against hydrocarbon extraction projects that they believe pose a serious threat to the environment, agriculture and traditional livelihoods.
He said NTK has consistently campaigned against hydrocarbon exploration and extraction projects, arguing that such ventures pollute land and water resources while causing irreversible ecological damage.
According to him, Tamil Nadu should not permit hydrocarbon projects in any part of the State due to their potential impact on the environment and local communities. Seeman recalled that the previous AIADMK government had declared the Cauvery Delta region a Protected Special Agricultural Zone and assured farmers that environmentally harmful projects, including hydrocarbon extraction, would not be allowed in the region.
He also noted that several hydrocarbon projects proposed during the subsequent DMK administration, including those in Periyakudi in Tiruvarur district, the Ramanathapuram coastal belt and Parangipettai, were halted following widespread public protests. The NTK leader said Hindustan Oil Exploration Company has now sought environmental clearance from the Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNCZMA) for a project estimated to cost around Rs 425 crore.
The proposal involves drilling four new hydrocarbon wells in the Bay of Bengal, approximately 18 kilometres off the coast of Parangipettai. According to Seeman, the coastal waters off Parangipettai are not only an important traditional fishing ground but also an ecologically sensitive marine region. He warned that hydrocarbon extraction activities in the area could lead to marine pollution, adversely affect fish populations and other forms of marine biodiversity, and pose a serious threat to the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen dependent on the sea.
Urging the authorities to reject the proposal, Seeman said governments should prioritise environmental protection, marine resources and the welfare of fishing communities over the commercial interests of private corporations.
“I appeal to the government not to grant approval for any hydrocarbon project that would destroy the livelihood of fishermen, damage biodiversity and threaten fragile coastal ecosystems for the benefit of private companies,” he said.
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