The DMK Sunday flayed the Centre over the terms of reference (ToR) issued to two companies to carry out environmental impact assessment for the proposed hydrocarbon exploration projects in Tamil Nadu and urged the Election Commission to take steps to halt it.
DMK Chief Stalin demanded that the Centre immediately stop the projects as it was announced when the Model Code of Conduct was in force.
"Election Commission should come forward and ensure that the project is not implemented..," he said in a statement.
He was responding to reports of central government issuing ToR to Vedanta Ltd and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to carry out environmental impact assesment for hydrocarbon exploration projects in Villupuram in Tamil Nadu.
Referring to the signing of agreements in 2018 with Vedanta Ltd and ONGC to set up 274 and 67 wells respectively by the Centre, he pointed out that farmers from the state had strongly opposed the move and also staged protests.
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He alleged that the projects were now being allowed in the state, despite representations by farmers.
Stalin, the Leader of Opposition in the assembly also hit out at the ruling AIADMK for not opposing the projects.
"With Model Code of Conduct being in effect, according Terms of Reference was against the election rules," he claimed.
Noting that water scarcity is prevalent in Cauvery-Delta regions in Tamil Nadu, he said the Centre should take steps to immediately halt the projects as it would be detrimental to agricultural activities in the region.
The Tamil Nadu government should urge the EC so that the projects do not get implemented, he said.
Criticising the move to accord ToR to Vedanta Ltd for the hydrocarbon projects in Tamil Nadu, PMK Leader S Ramadoss said it was against the stand taken by the Centre, which had earlier said it would not implement such projects.
Observing that the projects would largely affect the Cauvery-delta regions, he said, "Centre and State governments have the responsibility to ensure that agricultural zones in the state continue to remain the same."
He sought the central and state governments to guarantee that such projects would not be implemented in any parts of the state at any cost.
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