Opposition to Gail pipeline gathers steam, 1 arrested

NAGAPATTINAM: Police, on Saturday, arrested an activist and booked eight others on charges of opposing Gas Authority of India Limited (Gail) authorities’ plan to lay gas pipelines at Kalahasthinapuram village in Nagapattinam. The protesters alleged that the process of laying pipelines will destroy standing kuruvai paddy crops and cotton raised near Sembanarkoil in the district.
Meanwhile, following a widespread protest by the farmers against Gail authority’s move, police have instructed the officials to execute the process on empty lands without disturbing crops.
According to sources, the 29 km long stretch between Madhanam and Memathur near Tharangampadi in the district was earmarked for laying pipelines. Around 100 acres of land from 17 villages in the area was already acquired, sources said. Since the work began in April, Gail authorities have almost completed the laying of pipelines covering 17 km up to Kalahasthinapuram village amid opposition.
However, the protest intensified after Gail authorities attempted to lay pipelines after ‘destroying’ the standing kuruvai paddy crop and cotton using earthmovers at Kalahasthinapuram village, farmers alleged.
A farmer from the village, Durairaj, alleged that the Gail authorities arrived there all of a sudden and began their work of laying pipeline destroying the standing crops. Despite stiff opposition, they continued to execute the process using police force, he alleged.
Farmers also feared that any damage or leakage to the pipeline may cause losses to them. As the pipes are travelling in the middle of the land, the farmers are unable to take up cultivation, they alleged.
Based on a complaint lodged by Gail, Sembanarkoil police arrested the organizer of Nilam Neer Pathukapu Iyakkam (Land, Water Protection Movement) Iraniyan. Meanwhile, police also registered a case against eight other farmers for opposing the works, police sources said.
It may be recalled that Gail had restarted its work of laying gas pipelines through farmlands with police protection. The work was suspended earlier during the month of April following agitation by the farmers. It is noted that the project faced stiff opposition from farmers while being launched last year.
A notice about the list of lands to be acquired was already released by the revenue administration. However, farmers accused that they were not properly explained about the area of land, the process to be followed while laying pipes, whether cultivation can be done on the land and the compensation that they will be given.