Chennai, Nov 25 (IANS): In a major setback to Tamil Nadu government, the Madras High Court Monday quashed its orders restraining the gas pipeline project of GAIL (India) Ltd. through farm lands in seven districts.

The company had challenged the state government's notification restraining it from laying gas pipes through farm lands, and directing it to lay these along the national highways.

As a part of its around Rs.5,000 crore, 312-km gas pipeline project between Kochi-Salem-Bangalore, GAIL planned to lay the pipes in the agricultural fields in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri much against the wishes of the farmers.

Heeding to the high court's orders, the state government held public hearings in March this year to ascertain the views of the people.

In March, Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa announced in the assembly that projects are for the people and not people for the projects, and urged GAIL to remove the pipes already laid and lay them along the national highways.

Subsequently, the state government issued a notification to this effect.