NE LEGAL BUREAU
CHENNAI, JAN 28
The Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers’ Association has filed a writ petition before the Supreme Court on Monday urging to scrap the revised rules exempting the firms from obtaining mandatory environmental clearance for exploration of hydrocarbon and gas exploration projects in Cauvery delta.
General secretary of the association P.R. Pandian said that the petition has been filed by advocate G.S. Mani on behalf of the association.
As the protests against hydrocarbon and gas exploration in the delta region were intensified, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has revised a rule on January 16 this year exempting the exploration firms from obtaining the mandatory environmental clearance or Environment Impact Assessment certificate (EIA) from the concerned authorities. The revised rules exempting the firms are unconstitutional and it would also affect the livelihood of the farmers, including the depletion of groundwater, the farmers contented in their petition.
“If the government allows exploration of hydrocarbon and gas from the delta region, farmers would be forced to commit suicide. Hence, the court should stay the hydrocarbon exploration projects and give necessary directions to the union government to announce the Cauvery Delta region as a protected zone,” the petition added.
The Supreme Court will take up the petition for hearing soon, Pandian said.
