Farmers and environmental groups have voiced strong opposition to the proposal of Hindustan Oil Exploration Company Limited (HOEC) to drill four hydrocarbon wells 18 km off the Parangipettai coast in Cuddalore district. The proposed wells fall within the Coastal Regulatory Zone-IVA.

The location of the proposed wells, which is barely at a distance of 11.48 km from the mangroves near Mulukkuturai in Pichavaram Reserve Forest and mangroves near Parangipettai, has come under criticism with various stakeholders, including fishermen and farmers in the tail-end Delta region. Environmentalist warn the mangroves, which are home to several species of flora and fauna, will be under threat if the project is implemented.

The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued a notice inviting bids under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy. HOEC, which had submitted an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report, said the proposed project was to offset the decline in production without increasing approved production levels in PY-1 field, Cauvery Basin. The estimated cost of the project is ₹425 crore. The application was submitted on June 1 and is currently under examination of the Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority. The four development wells have been proposed off the Parangipettai coast. Each well will go as deep as 3,000 metres, according to the EIA, with seismic surveys and heavy drilling equipment to precede exploration.

Threat to environment

According to G. Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal: “Drilling hydrocarbon wells in coastal areas has severe environmental impacts and poses major risks to marine life. With rising sea temperatures and disruption of marine ecosystem, projects such as this will destroy coastal natural resources and severely affect the livelihood of fishermen and can have significant ecological impact. In 2025, the Tamil Nadu government took a stand opposing hydrocarbon projects in coastal areas. The State government should maintain the status quo and not recommend clearance for the project.”

In a post on X, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said drilling hydrocarbon wells in the Bay of Bengal would severely damage fish stocks and the region’s extensive mangrove forests. The move would only lead to massive, irreversible environmental damage and threaten livelihood of fishermen.

“The PMK has successfully pressed for the declaration of the Cauvery delta region, including several areas in Cuddalore, as a Protected Agricultural Zone, to prevent environmental damage from hydrocarbon projects. HOEC’s attempt to push for this project outside the boundary of the protected zone, having realised it cannot proceed within the zone limits is highly unacceptable,” Dr. Anbumani said.

K.V. Elangeeran, president of Cauvery Delta Farmers Federation, said the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act, passed in 2020, prohibited drilling in the region. “But the Centre was trying to wipe out the Cauvery delta, the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu, by implementing the hydrocarbon project. If the project is implemented, sea temperatures will rise, damaging the environment,” he said. Hydrocarbon exploration can severely impact groundwater and farmers in Chidambaram, Kattumannarkovil, Kumaratchi, Kollidam, and Sirkazhi will be unable to use groundwater for farming, and agriculture will collapse, Mr. Elangeeran added.