TN must initiate alternative alignment for IDPL project, Petroleum Ministry tells farmer delegation
A delegation led by Eesan Murugasamy of Tamil Nadu Farmers' Protection Association that called on Minister of State for Petroleum Suresh Gopi in New Delhi earlier this month had reiterated its resolve to block the project, if a solution is not found.
The delegation cited the impending projects by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for construction of bypass roads for Palladam, Kangayam and Vellakovil towns, to buttress their demand for laying of the pipelines along the roadside.
The farmers said their earlier request for laying of the pipelines along National Highway 81 from Coimbatore to Karur was not accepted by the officials implementing the project on the ground that the pipelines could not be laid inside the three urban pockets (Palladam, Kangayam and Vellakovil) for security reasons.
At the meeting facilitated by Tamil Maanila Congress leader G.K. Vasan, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas D.K. Ojha, told the farmers that the change in the alignment for the IDPL project along roadside would hinge on the approval of the Tamil Nadu Government for the proposed change in the alignment.
The IDPL project, planned for a 270-km stretch from Muthur in Tiruppur district to Devakondi in Karnataka envisages laying of a second pipeline alongside an existing one laid 22 years ago across farmlands to a 70-km stretch from Irugur in Coimbatore district to Muthur in Tiruppur district for the oil pipeline project of Petronet CCK Limited. Due to the pipeline, the value of farmland had fallen down drastically, and even division of inheritance of the farmland with pipeline beneath has become tough.
Stating that the affected farmers have been taking part in a sit-in protest for over 260 days, the delegation justified its decision to block the project if no remedial action is taken.
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The Hindu
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TN must initiate alternative alignment for IDPL project, Petroleum Ministry tells farmer delegation
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