CHENNAI: Yielding to the demands of political parties from Tamil Nadu, the centre has given up its plan to auction three lignite mines located in protected agricultural zone of the Cauvery delta region.“In the spirit of cooperative federalism and keeping in mind the interest of the people of Tamil Nadu, I have directed to exclude them from auction,” union minister Pralhad Joshi said in a tweet. The three TN mines excluded from auctions in the seventh tranche are located at East Sethiathope, Michaelpatti, and Vadaseri.
Joshi, however, attributed his decision to the representation given by K Annamalai, saying the Tamil Nadu BJP president rushed to Bengaluru and called upon him with a request to exclude them from auction. Though the minister has tagged Chief Minister MK Stalin in his tweet, he did not say anything about the telephonic conversation he had with DMK parliamentary party leader TR Baalu or the letter written by the CM to the PM demanding him to exclude the mines from the auction.
On April 5, leaders of all political parties in the state Assembly vehemently opposed the union government’s decision to allow coal/lignite mining in delta areas declared as protected agriculture zone. The CM had told the House his government would not allow coal mining in delta areas at any cost.
Reacting to the announcement, the ruling DMK, principal opposition AIADMK, the PMK and the BJP claimed credit for making the centre give up the proposal.
“Due to continuous pressure exerted by the CM, the centre had announced to withdraw the mines from auctioning. This is a victory (for the DMK),” Thennarasu said. “We welcome the announcement, though I feel sad that the centre has not acknowledged the CM’s efforts,” he said. Meanwhile, youth welfare and sports development minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said the union government’s decision “is a victory for the CM who hails from the delta region.”
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss said the decision is a victory for the party as PMK was the first party to raise the issue and the party has been fighting against coal mines of the NLC for over four decades. “Union minister Pralhad Joshi should give up the plan to set up a third mine for NLC, and coal projects at Veeranam and Palayamkottai.
The CM should make a promise in the Assembly that the government will press for the demand,” Anbumani said. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami too claimed credit and thanked the PM for the decision. BJP chief K Annamalai thanked Pralhad Joshi.