Drop proposal for offshore mining in Gulf of Mannar: CM Stalin urges PM
Expressing concern over the Centre’s proposal for hydrocarbon exploration and offshore mining in the Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to drop the move given the nature of the fragile ecosystem and biodiversity rich area.
Deep sea mining for petroleum and natural gas might cause ‘irreversible damage to marine habitats and degrade the overall health of the ocean,’ the chief minister said.
In a letter addressed to the prime minister, Stalin sought Modi’s intervention in this sensitive issue.
“The risks of sediment plumes, toxic waste discharges and habitat destruction cannot be overstated and it will also affect the livelihood of the lakhs of fishermen who depend on the Gulf of Mannar for their sustenance,” he said in the letter.
Any such disruptions caused by mining activities would also make the entire coastal area vulnerable and this has created immense anxiety among the coastal communities, the chief minister said.
“I write to you with deep concern on the proposal for offshore mining activities in the Gulf of Mannar, off the coast of Tamil Nadu. The Directorate of Hydrocarbon, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, has launched OALP-BID Round-X for auctioning petroleum and natural gas blocks on February 11,” he said.
The notification included 9,990.96 sq km under the block name CY-DWHP-2024/1 in the Cauvery Basin, which falls within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve and was near the Palk Bay and Wadge Bank, he explained.
The Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve encompassed the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park and has a rich biodiversity encompassing varied ecosystems like coral reefs, sea-grass beds, mangroves, estuaries, mudflats, islands and forests. This biosphere reserve consisted of a chain of 21 islands and adjoining coral reefs, spread over 560 sq kms off the coasts of Ramanathapuram and Thoothukudi districts, and supported a wide variety of marine fauna.