Stalin objects to exemption from public consultation for atomic mining projects
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi objecting to exemption from public consultation for atomic mining projects.
He cited an Office Memorandum issued by the Impact Assessment Division of the Ministry of Environment, whereby all mining projects of atomic minerals notified in Part B and critical and strategic minerals notified in Part D of the First Schedule of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act have been exempted from the requirement of public consultation.
The memorandum directed that all such projects shall be appraised at the Central level, irrespective of the lease area involved.
Pointing out the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu are endowed with deposits of Rare Earth Elements embedded in beach sand systems, Stalin said these coasts are ecologically fragile and highly vulnerable.
“The sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay are home to endangered turtle nesting grounds, coral reefs, mangroves, and sand- dunes that serve as natural barriers against erosion and cyclonic events. These ecosystems sustain biodiversity, stabilise shorelines, sequester carbon, and safeguard coastal communities. Mining in such regions is therefore inherently eco-sensitive and demands rigorous scrutiny with the fullest involvement of local communities,” he argued.