CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Minerals Ltd (Tamin) has proposed to expand the black granite mining operations in Salem forests and sought clearance for diversion of over 39 hectares.The State-owned company’s managing director, Sudeep Jain, has filed a formal application seeking forest clearance before the Union environment ministry for setting up a quarry.
Already, there are a few approved black granite quarries inside Yellikardu and Palamalai reserve forests in the Mettur range. One quarry, spread over an extent of 16.72 hectares of forest land in Yellikkardu and Palamalai reserve forest in Mettur range of Salem district, got the lease for 20 years under the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959, and Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The lease is valid up to 2039.
Another quarry lease adjacent to the same area was operating over an extent of 5.62 hectares of forest land for 10 years. The lease expired in 2019 and the renewal is under active consideration of the government. Both of the leasehold areas are contiguous ones.
An official said, “Black granite is rated amongst the best in the world and fetches good revenue, both in foreign and domestic markets. Tamin has, therefore, decided to amalgamate both leases and proposed to utilise the adjacent reserve forest land over an extent of 17.42 hectares to augment the production after necessary clearance and lease from forest department and industries department.”
The official said a huge quantity of black granite mineral is still available in the existing leased-out area. “Since Tamin is a government company and more than 200 workers from nearby villages are directly and indirectly depending on it, there is a necessity to operate the quarry to provide job opportunities,” he said.