MADURAI: The tungsten mining project will not happen in Melur taluk without the state government’s permission, VCK General Secretary Thol Thirumavalavan assured villagers in the region during a demonstration organised by the VCK against the proposed project on Friday.
Addressing the gathering at the protest site in Melur taluk, Thirumavalavan said the tungsten project was not just opposed by the people of Melur, but the entire state. “When I met Union Minister of Mines G Kishan Reddy, he told me the project wouldn’t happen without the TN government’s approval. So, the people of Melur have no reason to worry,” the VCK leader said.
He requested the TN government to declare the area as a protected agricultural zone and to withdraw the five cases booked against 5,000 people during a peace rally held against the mining.
Stressing the geographical and archaeological significance of the region, he condemned the central government for asking the Geological Survey of India (GSI) to resurvey the area proposed for tungsten mining.
“For extracting one kg of tungsten, nearly a tonne of rocks would have to be broken. The project will not help India become a developed nation. Development achieved through destruction of natural resources will not be sustainable,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, BJP president K Annamalai also urged the state government to declare Melur as a protected agricultural zone, adding the tungsten project will not be carried out, and Kishan Reddy will announce this during his visit to TN on January 17, 18 and 19.
He was addressing newspersons at A Vellalapatti village in Melur on Friday. He also met the villagers of Melur at A Vellalapatti. “Though the tender for the tungsten mining was issued by the Central government, not even a single rupee from the profit will come to the centre, as it will be shared by the state and the local panchayat,” he said.
Annamalai said if any auction is announced, the state needs to give appropriate answers to the central government. “The state wrote a letter to the centre to resurvey the project by excluding the biodiversity area of 476 acres. Based on the state government’s letter the central government floated the tender,” he said.