Kuthalam Residents Protest Over ONGC Oil Well Work; Company Says It’s Routine Maintenance

Tensions Rise in Kuthalam Over ONGC Oil Well Activity; Residents Fear Revival, ONGC Denies

MAYILADUTHURAI, Sept 16, 2025 – Residents of Kuthalam village in Tamil Nadu's Mayiladuthurai district have raised concerns over what they believe is the revival of a dormant oil well by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). The company, however, has clarified that the ongoing activity is part of routine maintenance work, not a resumption of extraction operations.

The issue came to a head earlier this week when members of the Anti-Methane Project Federation, joined by villagers from nearby areas including Therazhundur, staged a road blockade to protest ONGC’s activities. Protesters claimed that ONGC has resumed work at the site under the guise of maintenance, raising fears of potential environmental damage.

“Maintenance or Revival?” – Confusion Breeds Fear

At the heart of the conflict is a long-standing oil well that locals say has been non-functional for over five years. They argue that ONGC has quietly brought equipment back on-site over the past two weeks and has been engaged in activities that resemble oil extraction.

“The well has remained idle for years, but now ONGC has resumed operations under the pretext of maintenance. We suspect they’re preparing to revive extraction,” said Prof. T. Jayaraman, a prominent environmental activist leading the protest.

He claimed the work had been going on for 13 consecutive days, without proper public notification or environmental assessments.

ONGC’s Official Stand: “Just Maintenance”

In response to the allegations, ONGC officials clarified that the well in question is a “live well”, and the current work is part of regular maintenance required to prevent hazards such as pressure buildup.

An ONGC representative, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:

“We are not reviving or restarting extraction operations. This is routine safety work — we release built-up pressure to avoid accidents. Oil collection during this process is minimal and precautionary.”

Officials insisted that no new drilling or expansion is planned at the Kuthalam site and all work is being carried out in compliance with environmental regulations.

Environmental Concerns and Local Resistance

Despite ONGC’s reassurances, residents remain unconvinced. Many fear that if extraction is resumed, it could lead to groundwater contamination, soil degradation, and adverse impacts on agriculture — the primary livelihood in the area.

Villagers also cited previous incidents in Kathiramangalam and other parts of Tamil Nadu where oil leaks from ONGC wells allegedly damaged crops and polluted water sources.

“The water we drink and the soil we cultivate are at stake,” said a local farmer. “We don’t want another Kathiramangalam here.”

Protesters are demanding that ONGC permanently seal the well and remove all equipment from the site.

Officials Intervene to Calm the Situation

The protests prompted swift intervention from district authorities. Kuthalam Tahsildar Rajarathinam and Inspector Mahendran arrived at the scene and held talks with the protestors. Following negotiations, officials assured that work at the site would be temporarily paused, and the matter would be escalated to senior ONGC and government officials for further review.

Based on these assurances, protesters agreed to disperse peacefully, but warned that agitation would resume if activity restarts without public consultation.

Larger Debate: Development vs. Environment

The incident highlights the increasing tension between energy development and environmental sustainability in Tamil Nadu. While ONGC maintains that its operations are safe and necessary for national energy needs, local communities and activists argue that such projects often ignore local ecological impacts and lack transparency.

Activist groups have long called for a moratorium on hydrocarbon projects in the Cauvery Delta region, citing its agricultural importance and vulnerability to ecological damage.

What’s Next?

As of now, ONGC’s activity at the Kuthalam well remains under scrutiny. District officials have promised a review of ONGC’s claims and documentation. Environmental groups have also called for the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and other regulatory agencies to conduct an independent inspection.