 "Gail")
Tamil Nadu government has asked GAIL to join in the Expert Committee, which was constituted by the state government, to examine the possibilities of realigning the gas pipeline along the National Highways.
The state government once again said that the proposed Kochi-Koottanad-Mangaluru-Bengaluru gas pipeline project of GAIL (India) at the company's proposed alignment would cause "irreparable" damage to the agricultural property of thousands of farmers in seven districts of Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, in her memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister on Tuesday, had said that the recent amendments to the Right of Use under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962, have made farmers culpable for damages to the pipeline, even those occurring without their knowledge.
The state believes that a realignment of the pipeline route along the highways with the least harm to the people and the least adverse impact on agriculture would be the best way forward to implement the project. The state has already constituted an expert committee to examine the possibilities of realigning the pipeline along the national highways, and officials of GAIL can also join this Committee, to find a mutually acceptable solution so that the implementation of the project can proceed without affecting the interests of poor agriculturists, she said.
Under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962, the Competent Government is the Central Government.
Jayalalithaa asked the Centre to rescind the notifications by the ministry of petroleum and natural gas for the GAIL pipeline in Tamil Nadu.
"Direct GAIL India Ltd not to act upon the said Notifications pending a final view of the matter and to join the Expert Committee constituted by the Government of Tamil Nadu", said Jayalalithaa.
She also asked the Centre to amend the relevant provisions of the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962 and the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 to provide for the conduct of a Social Impact Assessment for acquisition under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962.
It may be noted, in April the Supreme Court has dismissed a review petition filed by Farmer Sangam against the GAIL natural pipeline project passing through the seven districts of Tamil Nadu. The Court said that it does not find any error apparent on the face of the record which leads to recalling its previous order allowing GAIL to continue the project. The Supreme Court, on February 2, 2016, issued an order which was favourable to GAIL project, against the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to stop the project. The Tamil Nadu government's order sought GAIL to stop laying pipeline through the farm lands, which according to them would affect the livelihood of about 5,500 small farmers, following the protest by the farmers.
The 925-km Kochi-Kottanad-Bengaluru-Mangaluru pipeline passes through Kerala (505 kms), Tamil Nadu (310 kms) and Karnataka (60 kms).
The pipeline has already been laid for 200 kms at a cost of Rs 685 crore, said the minister in Rajya Sabha.
The project was originally started in 2012, of the total project only 50 kms has been completed in Ernakulam (Kerala). Not only in Tamil Nadu, farmers have been protesting in Kerala fearing that they will lose their livelihood.
They also want the Government to withdraw the Petroleum & Mineral Pipelines Act, 1962 (PMP Act). State government also supports the farmers in this matter.
