Victoria decides to ban fracking and coal seam gas exploration permanently

New Delhi: The Victorian State Parliament is all set to adopt a new law later this year that will permanently ban all onshore unconventional gas exploration, including fracking and coal seam gas.

Premier Daniel Andrews said that Victoria has become the first Australian state to do so. This move is designed to protect the clean and green reputation of Victorian agriculture sector and its 190,000 employees, he added.

The Victorian government assured that the ban will certainly reduce the anxiety felt by farmers about environment and health risks associated with fracking.

Exemptions to the ban will remain for activities not covered by the current moratorium, such as gas storage, carbon storage research and accessing offshore resources. Exploration and development for offshore gas will also continue, according to The Guardian.

In 2015, Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Onshore Unconventional Gas received 1,600 submissions, most of them opposed fracking and coal seam exploration. The Department of Premier and Cabinet said that the massive opposition from Victorian community makes it clear that they don't support fracking.