The Andhra Pradesh government has issued a conditional No Objection Certificate (NOC) to Vedanta Limited’s Cairn Oil & Gas division to drill 20 onshore oil and gas wells in the Krishna district under India’s Discovered Small Field (DSF) Policy, 2018. 
The permission, granted by the Water Resources Department, allows Vedanta to proceed with drilling at specified locations across various village limits in the Krishna district. The company had initially sought NOC for 35 proposed well sites in the block, but approval has been limited to 20 wells due to proximity concerns with irrigation infrastructure, including the Bandar Canal that runs through the area. 
The government’s order clearly states that the NOC is temporary and issued solely from an irrigation standpoint. Vedanta must secure all other required statutory clearances from relevant authorities before commencing drilling operations. Among the strict conditions attached to the approval is a ban on drawing water from irrigation canals, reservoirs, ponds, or any surface water source during development work. 
Officials from the Water Resources Department, including the Engineer-in-Chief (Irrigation), the Chief Engineer of the Krishna Delta System, and the Krishna district collector, have been tasked with overseeing compliance and further action on the implementation of the order. 
Vedanta’s Cairn Oil & Gas division is one of India’s largest private sector oil and gas explorers, currently contributing a significant share of the country’s domestic crude production. The company aims to increase its output while adhering to sustainable and environmentally responsible practices. 
