MADURAI: Parliamentarian S. Venkatesan on Tuesday urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin not to grant permission to a private company that recently obtained a license from the Centre to mine tungsten in 10 villages of Melur taluk. Similarly, the Madurai Nature Cultural Foundation has also requested Stalin to prevent the mining operation.
In his statement, Venkatesan said it is highly condemnable that the Centre granted the company permission to mine tungsten in these villages, which are located near Arittapatti a biodiversity heritage area home to a vast number of plant, animal, and bird species. He warned that the ecological balance of the entire region would be disturbed if mining were allowed.
"Alagar Malai and Perumal Malai contain megalith monuments, which are evidence of the Tamil people's ancient culture. The Chief Minister should intervene to deny the company mining permission and environmental clearance," he said.
Foundation Coordinator T. Tamilthasan highlighted that Meenakshipuram, where a 2,300-year-old Tamil inscription was discovered, and the Arittapatti Kanjamalai area, from which Jain beds and Mahavir sculptures have been unearthed, are among the sites targeted for mining. He also noted that a stone sculpture, worshipped regularly by villagers, was found in Arittapatti. Evidence from the megalithic period has been discovered in Kamankulam Kanmoi, located in Arittapatti.
Tamilthasan emphasized that Perumal Hills, a forest reserve, is home to numerous animal species and that mining would threaten local livelihoods, groundwater resources, and the environment. He urged the Chief Minister and District Collector M.S. Sangeetha to take immediate action to halt the mining activities.