Tue Aug 26 10:59:46 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten version as a news article:
**Summary:**
The Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association is demanding action against government officials who issued a no-objection certificate for hydrocarbon extraction in Ramanathapuram district. This follows the state government’s decision to cancel environmental clearance previously granted to ONGC for hydrocarbon tapping in the region. The association questions the basis upon which the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority initially granted consent and reiterates its call for Tamil Nadu, excluding Chennai, to be declared a ‘Protected Agriculture Zone.’
**News Article:**
**Tamil Nadu Farmers Demand Action After Hydrocarbon Project Shelved**
*THANJAVUR, August 26, 2025* – The Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association is calling for accountability after the state government reversed its decision to allow Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to extract hydrocarbons in Ramanathapuram district. The reversal comes as a victory for the association, but they are now demanding the state government take action against officials involved in the initial approval process.
“We welcome the government’s decision to cancel the environmental clearance,” stated association secretary Sundara Vimalanathan. “However, serious questions remain about how the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (EIA) could have initially approved this project without proper justification or public consultation.”
The association points out the potential dangers of hydrocarbon extraction to agricultural land and water resources. They are reiterating their long-standing request that the state government declare all of Tamil Nadu, excluding Chennai, a ‘Protected Agriculture Zone.’
Vimalanathan insists, “The government must investigate and hold accountable those within the EIA Authority and district administration who issued the clearance certificate to ONGC. We need to ensure that agricultural interests are protected and that such oversights do not happen again.”
The situation highlights the ongoing tension between energy development and environmental protection in the region. The farmers’ association’s stance demonstrates the growing concern over potential damage to agricultural lands and the livelihoods of farmers dependent on them. The outcome of the association’s demand for action against the government officials will be closely watched as a test of the government’s commitment to protecting agricultural interests in Tamil Nadu.
First Piper 