nagapattinam scores of shops and commercial establishments remained closed in vedaranyam of nagapattinam district following a protest by farmers traders and residents of kariyapattinam against hydrocarbon project on saturdaythe sit commenced by residents of kariyapattinam demanding to drop the hydrocarbon project in the delta region has entered ninth day on saturday around 200 people from the village including women and children have been protesting against its implementationthe concerned residents said they wanted the union government to drop the hydrocarbon exploratory project in nagapattinam and cuddalore districts the firm vedanta limited has won contracts for two exploration blocks in the fertile cauvery basin in nagapattinam and ongc got one block in cuddalore district residents allegedt saravanamuthu organiser of the agitation said the extraction would convert fertile lands into a desert both the state and centre should take action to immediately prevent the move and save farmers agricultural labourers and the public he saidkariyapattinam is full of fertile lands hundreds of farmers and thousands of labourers are relying on agriculture once the oil and gas extraction process starts the entire area will become a desert we began protest in our village today our protest has entered ninth day we expect the government pay heed to concerns he said