Committee to study exploration of hydrocarbon projects reconstituted

The Tamil Nadu government has reconstituted the high-level expert committee on exploration and extraction of hyrdrocarbon projects and also revised the terms of reference so that the study can be taken up in areas other than the protected agricultural zone.

The government has named Sultan Ahmed Ismail, part-time member, State Development Policy Council, as chairman of the seven-member committee.

The terms of reference for the study on exploration and extraction of hydrocarbon projects in areas other than the Cauvery delta region will assess the impact of drilling technologies like hydro fracturing on groundwater and the environment.

The committee will assess the impact of chemicals on the quality of surface water, flowing water, groundwater, soil and fertility of the land, irrigation sources, cultivation of crops, air quality, sea water intrusion and flora and fauna.

It will also assess the quantity of groundwater required to be drawn out for carrying out exploration of coal bed methane, shale gas, petroleum and natural gas and whether such large-scale pumping of groundwater will lead to its depletion.

In addition to this, the committee will see if drilling will lead to any subsidence of land and de-stabilise the tectonic plates below the area of exploration. The impact of such projects on the livelihoods of the people and food security of the region will also be assessed.

The committee has been directed to submits its report within four months. The other members of the committee are: Indumathi M. Nambi, professor, Environmental and Water Resources Division, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT-Madras; M. Maheswari, professor and head, Department of Environmental Science, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University; V. Selvam, former senior director, MSSRF; S. Ramamoorthy, chief engineer, Water Resources Department, Tiruchirappalli region; S. Raja, executive engineer, Ground Water Resources, PWD and R. Karthikeyan, general manager, TIDCO.