KANNIYAKUMARI: With opposition mounting against the proposed mining of atomic minerals in Keezhmidalam-A, Midalam-B, Enayamputhenthurai, Ezhudesam-A, B & C and Kollencode-A & B villages of Killiyoor taluk in Kanniyakumari district, fishers launched protests in Thoothoor and other coastal villages.
Indian Rare Earths India Limited (IREL), a wing of the Department of Atomic Energy, has been operating its Manavalakurichi unit in the Kanniyakumari district since 1970, and harnesses Monazite, Zircon and other associated minerals and supplies the same to the Department of Atomic Energy and other industries. The unit operated with an annual consented production capacity of 1,14,600 tonnes of atomic minerals (HM).
Sources said that IREL was mandated to provide requisite strategic materials i.e. Zircon and Monazite for the country’s atomic energy programme through mining and processing of beach sand minerals. In this regard, the Department of Atomic Energy in 2015 sought the concurrence of the Tamil Nadu government for the reservation of a Monazite-rich area of 1,144.0618 hectares in Kanniyakumari district for mining atomic minerals by IREL.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Mines issued a Notification in 2021 reserving the area for mining. The mining lease areas are located in Keezhmidalam-A, Midalam-B, Enayamputhenthurai, Ezhudesam-A, B & C and Kollencode-A & B villages in Killiyoor taluk.
Opposing the mining of atomic minerals, Coastal Peace and Development (an organisation that works for the welfare of the fishers community in Kanniyakumari district) Director Father A Dunston said the number of cancer cases is higher in the coastal areas of the district.
The IREL's proposed mining would cause more diseases and fishers and farmers would be affected by the proposed mining, he said, adding that the coastal areas will also be prone to soil erosion and pollution. The proposed mining plan should be dropped and IREL’s Manvalakurichi unit should be closed, he added.
We will air our opposition during the fishermen’s grievance meet towards the end of September and public hearing to be held at the Padmanabhapuram sub-collector office on October 1, Fr Dunston added.
Meanwhile, anti-nuclear activist SP Udayakumar said, “We strongly oppose the IREL’s statement that mining would not increase radiation as this is misleading and misinformed. Radiation will not increase if the minerals are in their natural bed. Kindling and mining the sand will increase the radiation levels and damage the topsoil.”
Tamil Nadu Meenpidippu Thozhilsangangalin Kootamaippu (CITU) general secretary S Antony also said the IREL's mining proposal in these villages would affect coastal and inland areas. Urging not to conduct the public hearing, he demanded the state government not to cooperate with the mining project.
J Jose, a resident of Thoothoor said that opposing the mining project, a human chain protest was held at Thoothoor and Poorthurai on September 22 while a silent protest was held at Chinnathurai. As the mining plan would greatly affect us, we will continue our protest till the project is scrapped, he added.
When contacted, the IREL administration said that mining would not increase radiation. Instead, it would decrease the radiation. “We will not be involved in land acquisition. Land will be acquired only after obtaining consent from the landowners, and will be given back to them after mining,” official sources said.
Plea to shut IREL Manavalakurichi unit
Calling for the IREL's Manavalakurichi unit to be shut permanently, residents of Poothurai submitted a petition at the district collectorate in Kanniyakumari on Monday. In the petition, functionaries of the St John The Baptist Church, Poothurai, stated that they found out about the public hearing at the Padmanabhapruam sub-collector office at Thuckalay on October 1 regarding the proposal to mine atomic minerals. The functionaries urged for the unit to be shut permanently as it was allegedly causing more radiation.
