It has not yet started work on CBM project: GEECL

CHENNAI: Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd, whose Coal Bed Methane project in Tamil Nadu was ordered to be put on hold by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, today said it has not yet started work on it and claimed they adhere to all quality, safety and environment standards in exploration.

GEECL's claim comes a day after the Chief Minister ordered authorities to put on hold the multi-crore CBM project in the wake of apprehensions of farmers that it would hit their farming activities.

The company, in a statement, said it has been the pioneer of CBM production in India and has been successfully producing from Raniganj block in West Bengal and maintaining all quality, health, safety, and environment standards.

Referring to the project, GEECL said the block in Mannargudi was awaiting Consent to Establish from the state Government for the work, which was yet to be started.

"We received Environment clearance from the Ministry for Environment and Forests (MOEF) after going through the strict parameters laid down by MOEF and clearance from its Expert Appraisal Committee, which reviewed all aspects in totality", it said.

In 2010 the Centre awarded the block to GEECL to explore and produce coal bed methane from 667 sq m in Mannargudi.

Jayalalithaa had also stated she had constituted an expert committee, comprising academics and government officials, to file a report on the project in three months and ordered officials not to allow any work until government takes a decision based on the committee's report.