CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin would move a resolution in the State Assembly on December 9 urging the union government to cancel the license awarded to Hindustan Zinc Limited for tungsten mining in Madurai district and urging the Centre not to conduct auction for issuing mining license without the consent of the State government concerned.
This move assumes significance in the backdrop of the AIADMK and BJP accusing the DMK government of indulging in doublespeak on the tungsten mining issue.
These parties have contended that the State government indeed sought permission from the union government for tungsten mining and did not oppose the process of auctioning the blocks for tungsten mining for around 10 months.
However, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan denied this as wrong saying in October last itself, the State government opposed the tungsten mining in Madurai districts.
After the business advisory committee meeting of the State Assembly, Speaker M Appavu told reporters that the monsoon session of the House would take place for two days - on December 9 and 10.
On December 9, the CM will move the government resolution on tungsten mining. On the same day, the House will condole the death of former Chief Minister of West Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, industrialist Ratan Tata, General S Padmanabhan, former Chief of Army, and many other who passed away during the past few months.
Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu will move the demands for grants for additional expenditure for the current financial year on December 10.
Talking to reporters at the secretariat after taking part in the business advisory committee meeting, former AIADMK ministers SP Velumani and RB Udhayakumar told reporters that the AIADMK requested the Speaker to conduct the monsoon session at least 10 days to discuss the issues of the people. But the request was turned down.
Recalling the DMK's electoral promise to conduct Assembly sessions for 100 days per year, Velumani said, "It is doubtful whether the Assembly sat for a total of 100 days during the past three years."