Amidst growing opposition to the proposed Neduvasal hydrocarbon project in Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu, the Union Oil and Natural Gas Ministry has clarified that the project will not affect farming in the region.<br/><br/>Neduvasal in Tamil Nadu and Karaikkal in Puducherry are two of the 31 contract areas awarded for exploration as part of the "Discovered Small Field Bid Round 2016" by the Ministry. However, many farmers protested against the project saying their farming would be spoiled, ground water polluted and environment degraded. <br/><br/>The Union Ministry of Oil and Natural Gas in an official release in Delhi has said, till date, more than 700 wells have been drilled for oil and gas extraction as part of mining operations in Tamil Nadu. The Ministry has pointed out, the operations are not hampering agriculture in those areas and do not pose any known environmental impact or health hazards for the people living nearby.<br/><br/>The Ministry has also said, oil and gas extraction are being carried out from a depth exceeding 1000 meter, and thus doesn't affect ground water aquifers which are located at much shallower levels. It said, Hydrocarbon extraction method is being used worldwide which has not seen any direct impact to water resources of the mining area.