No hazardous project affecting farmers will be allowed: Minister

‘Meendum Manjappai’ scheme a huge victory

Environment Minister Siva V. Meyyanathan on Monday said that the Chief Minister had made it very clear that no hazardous project affecting the farmers or the soil would be allowed in the State.

Speaking to reporters at Vallathirakottai, he said the State government had appointed a high-level expert committee headed by Sultan Ahmed Ismail on exploration and extraction of hydrocarbon projects which was conducting studies all over the State other than the delta region which had already been declared as a protected agricultural zone. This was being done to assess the impact hazardous projects could pose. He said the Chief Minister had rejected applications of the ONGC for digging 10 hydrocarbon wells in Ariyalur district and five wells in Cuddalore district. Replying to a query, he said the people of the State had extended their overwhelming support to the ‘Meendum Manjappai’ scheme launched to promote the use of cloth bags by the public and discourage the use of plastic bags. The scheme had attained a “huge victory,” he claimed adding that the State government itself did not gauge such a victory for the scheme when it was launched. Many textile shops and other outlets in the State had begun to use cloth bags which would protect the environment and the next generation, the Minister added

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