Coal mine auction: Stalin writes to Modi
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urging the Centre to exclude the Delta region from the coal bidding process to protect the interests of the farmers in the region and called it a wasteful exercise as the State government was not consulted.
The Chief Minister’s letter stated, “Delta areas should be excluded from the coal bidding process. No approval was obtained from the State government before issuing the notification in this regard and the State government was not even consulted. Unfortunately, the Union Ministry of Coal is acting arbitrarily. Three mining areas in Tamil Nadu — Sethiathoppu in Cuddalore, Michealpatti in Ariyalur, and Vadaseri in Thanjavur — should be excluded from the auction due to the presence of valuable farmers’ lands and food security of the people.”
“It is also emphasized that the State government should be consulted by concerned ministries of the Union government before issuing such public announcements are issued,” Stalin added.
All three of these mining blocks fall in the Cauvery Delta area of Tamil Nadu. Michaelpatti is in Udayarpalayam Taluk of Ariyalur district, East of Sethiathope in Bhuvanagiri Taluk of Cuddalore district and Vadaseri is in Orathanadu Taluk of Thanjavur district.