Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) Chief Coordinator Senthamizhan Seeman on Monday, 15 June strongly opposed Hindustan Oil Exploration Company's (HOEC) proposal to drill four new offshore hydrocarbon wells in the Bay of Bengal, approximately 18 kilometres off the coast of Parangipettai in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore district. Seeman described the ₹425 crore project as alarming and environmentally destructive, urging authorities to reject the environmental clearance application filed with the Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNCZMA).

What the Proposal Involves

HOEC has sought environmental clearance from the TNCZMA for a project estimated at approximately ₹425 crore, which entails drilling four new hydrocarbon wells in the Bay of Bengal, roughly 18 km off Parangipettai. The offshore site falls within waters that Seeman described as both a traditional fishing ground and an ecologically sensitive marine zone. He warned that extraction activities in the area could trigger marine pollution, deplete fish populations, and damage broader marine biodiversity.

Seeman's Environmental Case Against the Project

Seeman argued that hydrocarbon exploration and extraction inherently pollutes land and water resources while causing irreversible ecological damage. He said NTK has consistently opposed such ventures across Tamil Nadu and maintained that no part of the state should permit hydrocarbon projects given their potential impact on the environment and local communities.

He also recalled that the previous AIADMK government had declared the Cauvery Delta region a Protected Special Agricultural Zone, assuring farmers that environmentally harmful projects — including hydrocarbon extraction — would not be permitted there. Several projects proposed under the subsequent Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) administration, including those in Periyakudi in Tiruvarur district, the Ramanathapuram coastal belt, and Parangipettai, were reportedly halted following widespread public protests.

Threat to Fishing Communities

A central plank of Seeman's opposition is the livelihood risk to the region's fishing communities. He said thousands of fishermen depend on the coastal waters off Parangipettai for their daily sustenance, and that offshore drilling could severely disrupt fish habitats and traditional fishing practices.

'I appeal to the government not to grant approval for any hydrocarbon project that would destroy the livelihood of fishermen, damage biodiversity and threaten fragile coastal ecosystems for the benefit of private companies,' Seeman said in his statement.

Broader Pattern of Resistance in Tamil Nadu

The Parangipettai proposal is the latest flashpoint in a long-running conflict between hydrocarbon developers and coastal and farming communities in Tamil Nadu. This comes amid sustained public mobilisation against extraction projects across the state's delta and coastal belts, a pattern that has repeatedly forced project suspensions. Seeman urged governments at all levels to prioritise environmental protection, marine resources, and the welfare of fishing communities over the commercial interests of private corporations.

The TNCZMA's decision on the environmental clearance application is now awaited, and it is expected to determine whether the project proceeds to the next regulatory stage.