Chennai: Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam took potshots at Opposition DMK for expressing concern over the implementation of the controversial coal-bed Methane exploration and production project in Cauvery delta and informed the Assembly that former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa had already suspended the project in the interest of farmers.

Winding up the debate on the motion of thanks to Governor K. Rosaiah for his address to the Assembly, Mr Panneerselvam said on Monday that a decision on the project would be taken only after receiving a report from the multi-disciplinary experts’ committee constituted by Ms Jayalalithaa to study the adverse impact of the project.

“It is amusing that the DMK and its member I. Periyasami are talking about it. The Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd (GEECL), obtained petroleum exploration licence (PEL) from the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government and entered into a memorandum of understanding with that government in January 2011,” Mr Panneerselvam said.

The GEECL had got the PEL to cover an area of 691 sq km in Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts of the state. Though it had received environmental clearance from the Union ministry of environment and forests in September 2012, the TNP CB had not yet granted permission for exploratory works.

The previous minority DMK government granted four-year license to the firm on Jan.1, 2011 and signed a MoU on Jan.4, 2011, agreeing to provide all assistance including creating infrastructure.

“The former chief minister who constituted the committee ordered that the firm should not undertake any work till the receipt of the committee’s report. The committee will submit its report soon,” he added.

“Expressing apprehensions over the project inspite of Puratchi Thalaivi halting it and also in the aftermath of petroleum exploration license getting expired in December last year, talking about the project is like beating a dead snake,” the chief minister remarked.