Cancel tender for drilling oil, says Tamil Nadu Science Forum

THANJAVUR:  The Tamil Nadu Science Forum (TNSF) has urged the Union Petroleum Ministry to cancel the tender floated for drilling oil and gas wells in Vadatheru near Neduvasal and also in Gulf of Mannar areas.

Pointing out the launching of the third round bidding for the discovered small fields by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbon on June 10, V Sethuraman, State resource person, and V Sukumaran, State coordinator of the sub-committee on development of TNSF, pointed out that the fields were earlier discarded by ONGC as not feasible.

Also, the Cauvery delta was declared a Protected Agriculture Zone. However, the Union government has now invited bids to explore oil and gas at Vadatheru, they said.