Tamil Nadu CM urges Centre to cancel tungsten mining rights in Madurai, cites green concerns

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has written to the Union government urging the immediate cancellation of the tungsten mining rights in Madurai district, raising concerns over the potential environmental and cultural damage, particularly to the Arittapatti Bio-Diversity Heritage site, and the adverse impact on local communities.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Stalin highlighted the adverse environmental and cultural consequences of allowing mining in areas rich in biodiversity and archaeological significance. The tungsten block, located in the villages of Kavattayampatty, Ettimangalam, A Vallalapatty, Arittapatty, Kidaripatty, and Narasingampatty, includes the Arittapatti area, which is a notified Bio-Diversity Heritage site.

Arittapatti is known for its ancient cave temples, Jain monuments, Tamil Brahmi scripts, and the historical Pancha Pandavar stone beds. CM Stalin emphasised that any mining activity in the region would cause irreparable damage to these priceless heritage sites.

In addition to the environmental concerns, Stalin expressed deep apprehension about the social and economic impact on the densely populated villages surrounding the mining site. Stalin’s letter referenced the earlier concerns raised by the state government in October 2023, which had been dismissed by the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal, and Mines. The minister had stated that the auctioning of critical minerals could not be withheld in the larger interests of the country.

Despite the state’s objections, the Union Ministry of Mines declared Hindustan Zinc Limited as the preferred bidder for the Nayakkarpatti tungsten block in November 2024. In light of this, the Chief Minister has urged the Union Government to instruct the Ministry of Mines to cancel the award of the mining rights and to ensure that future mining auctions are conducted only with the consent of the concerned state government.

CM Stalin concluded the letter by reaffirming that the Tamil Nadu government would never allow mining in these ecologically and culturally sensitive areas.”I wish to draw your attention to the grim situation in Madurai district due to the Union Government’s award of tungsten mining rights and request your immediate intervention to cancel it. We had already raised our concerns on such auctioning of mining rights of critical and strategic minerals through the letter dated October 3, 2023, from our Minister for Water Resources and Natural Resources. But unfortunately, the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, in his letter dated November 2, 2023, had rejected them, mentioning that the auction of critical minerals by the Ministry of Mines cannot be withheld in the larger interests of the country,” read the letter.

“The Union Ministry of Mines has declared Hindustan Zinc Limited as the preferred bidder of Nayakkarpatti Tungsten block (critical and strategic mineral) under Tranche IV on November 7, 2024. The above Tungsten Block comprises of Kavattayampatty, Ettimangalam, A Vallalapatty, Arittapatty, Kidaripatty and Narasingampatty villages. Among them, Arittapatti is a notified Bio-Diversity Heritage site and is famous for archaeological monuments including cave temples, sculptures, Jain symbols, Tamil Brahmi Scripts and Pancha Pandavar stone beds. Any mining activity will cause irreparable damage to these sites”, said the letter.

“In addition, commercial mining in such densely populated villages will definitely affect the people in these villages. This has caused immense anguish to the people, who fear that their livelihood may be lost forever. Hence, the Government of Tamil Nadu would never allow any such mining to be undertaken in these areas. Considering the above situation, I urge you to instruct the Ministry of Mines to cancel the award of tungsten mining rights given to Hindustan Zinc Limited in Madurai District. I also request you to instruct the Ministry of Mines to desist from floating any bids for mining without the consent of the concerned state government”, read the letter. (ANI)