Supreme Court orders status quo on GAIL pipeline in Tamil Nadu

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed that status quo be maintained in Tamil Nadu on a proposed 310 km GAIL pipeline that would carry imported gas from Kochi to the national grid. The pipeline is being opposed by local farmers and the state government.

The state government has opposed the pipeline and has instead suggested that it run parallel to a national highway along which land was available on both sides. GAIL has refused to accept the realignment.

A Madras High Court division bench had ruled against the state view, prompting Tamil Nadu to challenge November 25, 2013, ruling.

Mukul Rohtagi, appearing for the state, sought a status quo order on the ground that it was a "delicate issue" affecting many farmers.

GAIL counsel additional solicitor general L Nageswar Rao opposed this, but a bench headed by chief justice P Sathasivam rejected his arguments. "There is a lot of space (along the national highway) but you want to have the pipeline through farmers' houses and lands," the chief justice said. "You do not even need to acquire land, the land is available, you just have to take permission."

Rao argued that it was a project of national importance and the idea was to connect the line to the national grid. He also cited experts to claim that though land was available on both sides of the national highway, it was not advisable to pipelines along roads.