Kaveri delta coal-bed methane project

The Kaveri delta coal-bed methane extraction project was a project to extract methane gas from coal-bed by using hydraulic fracturing in the Kaveri river basin in Tamil Nadu, India. The project is undertaken by Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd (GEECL), a private company based in Gurgaon, Haryana.[1] The company received licence to explore and extract coalbed methane from Nagapattinam, Thanjavur and Thiruvarur districts which are the major rice cultivating area of Tamil Nadu.[1] Farmers, environmentalist and experts are opposing the project and hence it is currently suspended by the Government of Tamil Nadu.[2][3]

History

On 29 July 2010 GEECL won a CBM-IV type licence in a bidding to explore and extract methane gas and coal deposit in the Mannarkudi block of Thiruvarur district in the Kaveri basin from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India. Subsequently, the DMK government of Tamil Nadu licensed the firm towards research about the presence of methane particles on sighting industrial development in the locality. However on exploration, the company found the presence of methane particles and the company has a plan to drill 50 core production wells of 150-450 metre deep in the ground.[1]

In September 2012 the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests (UMOEF) issued environmental clearance to the project.[4] People of the locality have started to oppose the project mentioning that the previous DMK Government has given permission only for research purposes and the present government is allowing the firm to extract methane. On account of raising public protest and being unable to answer to opposition parties in 2012, government of Tamil Nadu suspended the project citing issues raised by the farmer.[5] Also the Tamil Nadu government constituted an expert committee comprising representatives from Anna University, the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, and officials from the Public Works Department, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corp.[3][5] The Union Ministry responded to Mrs.Kanimozi, Rajyasabha M.P's (DMK) question about the project,stating that the government had canceled the license to the company and the project had stopped. On November 10 2016, the Union Minister of state for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, said that the project has been withdrawn.[6]

Environmental impact and oppositions

From the time the public become aware of this project, it was fervently opposed by the farmers of Kaveri delta region. Organic farming expert G. Nammalvar was spearheading the opposition until his death due to brief illness in the demonstration field.[7] Protesters often cite the possibility of harmful and dangerous effects of the project to agriculture and life in the region.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Mannargudi Block : Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd". GEECL. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  2. ↑ "Farmers, experts oppose coal bed methane project". The Hindu. 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  3. 1 2 "Jaya puts coal bed methane project on hold". Livemint. 2013-07-17. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  4. ↑ "Great Eastern Energy gets TN nod for CBM block | Latest News & Updates at". Dnaindia.com. 2012-11-01. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  5. 1 2 "Suspend coal-bed methane project: Jayalalithaa". The Hindu. 2013-07-17. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
  6. ↑ "Methane Project Cancelled".
  7. ↑ "Organic farming veteran Nammalvar dead - The Times of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 2013-12-30. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
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