கடலூர் பெருமாள் ஏரியிலிருந்து தனியார் நிறுவனத்திற்கு தண்ணீர்: விவசாயிகளின் வாழ்வாதாரத்தை பாதுகாக்க வேண்டுகோள்

கடலூர்:

கடலூர் மாவட்ட ஆட்சியரிடம் தமிழ்நாடு விவசாயிகள் சங்கம் மாவட்ட குழு வழங்கிய மனுவில் கூறியிருப்பது:

கடலூர் மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள பெரிய ஏரிகளில் பெருமாள் ஏரியும் ஒன்று. இந்த ஏரியின் மூலம் 40 கிராமங்களில் உள்ள சுமார் 12 ஆயிரம் ஏக்கர் விவசாய நிலங்கள் பாசன வசதி பெறுகின்றன. கடந்த 50 ஆண்டுகளாக போதிய பராமரிப்பு இல்லாமல் சகடுகள் மற்றும் மண் கலந்த நீரால் 16 கி.மீட்டர் நீளம், 1 கி.மீ அகலம் உள்ள ஏரி இன்று 8 கி.மீ அளவிற்கு தூர்ந்துவிட்டது. ஏரி தூர்ந்து கொண்டே வருவதால் 3 போகம் நெல் சாகுபடி செய்த காலம் போய், இன்று 1 போகம் செய்வதற்கே தண்ணீர் தட்டுப்பாடாக உள்ளது.

இந்நிலையில் திருச்சோபுரம் பெரியபட்டில் உள்ள தனியார் எண்ணெய் சுத்திகரிப்பு நிறுவனத்திற்கு தேவையான நீரை பெருமாள் ஏரியில் இருந்து பயன்படுத்த குறிஞ்சிப்பாடி வட்டாட்சியர் அலுவலக அறிக்கை மூலம் நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டு வருகிறது. இந்த தண்ணீரை ராட்சத போர்வெல்கள் மூலம் எடுக்கப்படுமானால் நிலத்தடி நீர் வெகுவாக குறையும், கடல் நீர் உட்புகுந்து உப்புநீராக மாறி, சுற்றியுள்ள சுமார் 12 ஆயிரம் ஏக்கர் விவசாய நிலங்கள் தரிசாக மாறிவிடும். இதனால் 40 கிராமங்களில் உள்ள மக்களின் வாழ்வாதாரம் அடியோடு பறிக்கப்படும் சூழ்நிலை உள்ளது. எனவே பெருமாள் ஏரியிலிருந்து தனியார் எண்ணெய் சுத்திகரிப்பு நிறுவனத்திற்கு தண்ணீர் எடுக்க அனுமதி கொடுக்கக் கூடாது. விவசாயிகளின் வாழ்வாதாரத்தை பாதுகாக்க வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

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Suspended environment clearance to the 1,200 MW thermal power plant in the Cuddalore district

he National Green Tribunal has asked the environment ministry to notify all wetlands in the country to avoid developmental projects in its vicinity as it suspended environment clearance to the thermal power plant in Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh. In an order issued on Wednesday,

the tribunal also asked the ministry to finalise the guidelines and site criteria for Thermal Power Plants urgently. The tribunal had found that the existing guidelines had failed to take note of factors that affect the environment and ecology today. “It is pertinent to note that the siting criteria produced before us were framed 25 years ago,” the tribunal said, while hearing petitions by six locals against the 2,640 MW thermal power plant of Nagarajuna Construction Company.

The appellants in the case had alleged that the proposed project site was a wetland not suitable for commercial use. It will adversely affect irrigation schemes of the area and lead to scarcity of drinking water and fishing. They also said the project will stop farmers from growing seasonal crops and vegetables, and destroy a breeding area for migratory birds. The petitioners also contended that the environment ministry didn’t consider objections raised by a majority of those affected. The project proponents, however, said such claims were baseless and the site was not a notified wetland. The ministry said the project was cleared after taking into account all environmental aspects.

The tribunal said that another opportunity should be provided to locals to express their views on the project and, till then, the approval should remain suspended. The tribunal also suspended environment clearance to the 1,200 MW thermal power plant in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.

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Tamil Nadu government has sent a revised proposal for establis Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts.

       The Tamil Nadu government has sent a revised proposal for establishing a Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts.

    According to the state industries department’s policy note, which was tabled by P Thangamani, minister for industries, Tamil Nadu government, the revised and final proposal for establishing the PCPIR was sent to the department of chemicals and petrochemicals on January 18. The total investment for external linkage roads and other infrastructure augmentation and utilities projects for the PCPIR has been estimated at Rs 13,354 crore. Over a period of 10 years, investments of around Rs 92,160 crore will be mobilised in this PCPIR. The total employment generation expected during this period is estimated at about 7,50,000, the state government said in the policy note.

 It may be noted that Nagarjuna Oil Corporation Limited (NOCL) is setting up a petroleum refinery project in Cuddalore, which will be the first refinery project in the PCPIR. The petroleum refinery project of NOCL, with a six-million tonne-a-year capacity, is a joint venture between state-run Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) and Nagarjuna Fertilisers Limited. The project, coming up at Thiruchopuram in Cuddalore taluk, will be commissioned in the current year. The total investment in this project is estimated to be about Rs 9,660 crore, including those investments made in associate facilities. NOCL will take up its expansion project in 2014, which will be completed by 2016. By 2014, the refining capacity of NOCL will be increased from six to 15 million tonne per year. The additional investment for this expansion project is estimated at about Rs12,000 crore, the policy note said.

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Cuddalore Nagarjuna Oil Corporation will start work on the Rs 12,000-crore expansion of its oil refinery in 2014.

Nagarjuna Oil Corporation will start work on the Rs 12,000-crore expansion of its oil refinery in 2014.

The expansion will take the annual refining capacity of the six-million-tonne refinery coming up in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, to 15 million tonnes. The expansion will be completed in 2016. The refinery project is a joint venture between the Hyderabad-based Nagarjuna Group and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd, a State-run, industry promotion agency. In the first phase, the total investment will be over Rs 9,660 crore. The project is at an advanced stage of implementation and is considered the largest private sector investment in the State. The project will be the anchor unit for the Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam, which are to be developed as a hub for attracting investments in the petrochemical sector. A revised proposal to develop the region has been sent to the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India, in January 18, according to the policy note on industries tabled in the Assembly today. The plan is to bring in investments of over Rs 13,354 crore in infrastructure such as roads and utilities to support industrial development in this sector. This is expected to catalyse industrial investments of over Rs 92,160 crore over the next ten years and generate 7.5 lakh jobs.

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Cuddalore Nagarjuna Oil's refinery may be commissioned early next year

The Nagarjuna Oil Corporation's refinery at Cuddalore is likely to be commissioned by early 2013. This is a delay of almost six-nine months due to the damage caused by cyclone Thane, which hit Cuddalore last year.

The loss due to the cyclone was only around Rs 60 crore but it took away ‘crucial time' and delayed the plant's commissioning, said a senior company official who did not want to be identified. However, the company managed to rectify the damages and is back to regular planned construction activities, he said.The refinery, being built over 1,600 acres, located 200 km south of Chennai between Cuddalore and Chidambaram, is the largest private sector investment in Tamil Nadu at an estimated Rs 10,000 crore. The project was planned in July 2001 but work started in 2006 after getting all the clearances. But for Thane, the project would have commenced in March, the official said.

PACT WITH IOC

Meanwhile, Indian Oil Corporation will sell petroleum products of Nagarjuna Oil. An agreement to this effect was signed between the two companies at the refinery site today.The exact requirement of IOC will be known closer to the plant's commissioning. Nagarjuna Oil is also holding talks with Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum for such a distribution agreement, the official said.

IOC has over 1,750 retail outlets selling petrol, diesel and lubes in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.It has a 50 per cent market share in retail marketing of petrol and diesel in the two locations. A press release issued by Nagarjuna said that the tie-up could bridge the current deficit in supply of petrol, diesel and LPG in Tamil Nadu. There is a deficit of around 3 million tonne (mt), which is currently being met by imports from refineries on the west coast. The NOCL refinery is designed to produce 2.7 mt of diesel; 0.8 mt of petrol and 0.7 mt of LPG.NOCL is jointly promoted by the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation and Hyderabad-based Nagarjuna Group. The Tata Group and Trafigura of Europe are the other major shareholders in NOCL.

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Oil trader Trafigura to invest Rs 1,250 cr in Cuddalore Nagarjuna refinery project

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Construction of storage tanks in progress at the Cuddalore refinery of Nagarjuna Oil Ltd (file photo). 

       Independent oil and commodities trader Trafigura Pte Ltd has said that it will invest up to Rs 1,250 crore ($250 million) in the Nagarjuna refinery coming up at Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, and in storage facilities. In a statement released in Singapore, Trafigura said it will invest Rs 650 crore ($130 million) for a 24 per cent stake in the Nagarjuna Oil Corporation Ltd refinery. In addition, it will pump in a further Rs 600 crore ($120 million) to construct storage facilities and associated infrastructure at the refinery. The statement said Trafigura’s investment in the refinery was the first of its kind for the company.

“Geographically, the facility is well positioned to receive crude oil from Trafigura’s international producer partners. The investment also affords the company the ability to participate in India’s domestic market where rising incomes, higher vehicle sales and rapid urbanisation are driving the country’s position as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies.”

          The refinery, with a capacity of six million tonnes a year, can process heavy/sour grades of crude oil and will supply light and middle distillates. The Hyderabad-based Nagarjuna group holds a 51 per cent stake in the project, with Tata Petrodyne, a Tata group company, being the other major shareholder with a 30 per cent stake. The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation, a Tamil Nadu Government industrial promotion undertaking, is the project’s co-promoter.

The project, which involves relocating the plant and machinery from a refinery in Germany, has been delayed and was due to be commissioned by March. However, its commissioning has been delayed by the cyclone that hit the Tamil Nadu coast in December 2011. The Nagarjuna refinery, being set up at an investment of Rs 10,000 crore, will be the anchor unit for the Centre’s Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region in the area. This will bring in investment of up to Rs 13,000 crore in associated facilities and infrastructure.

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