KANNIYAKUMARI: Several associations have voiced concerns about damage to the environment and appealed to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to revoke grant of extension given to IREL (India) Limited to obtain a mining lease for quarrying seven critical minerals from beach sand. IREL officials, however, said the project would not affect people or the environment.
According to sources, the Natural Resources Department of Tamil Nadu government issued an order on June 10 extending the validity of reservation for approval of 1,144.06 hectares of land for mining in eight coastal villages of Kanniyakumari district, including Keezhmidalam-A, Midalam-B, Enayamputhenthurai, Ezhudesam-A, B, and C, and Kollencode-A and B, for one more year till June 10, 2027.
Speaking to TNIE, vice-president of the Movement Against Atomic Mineral Mining Captain Johnson alleged the then DMK government granted permission for the project without conducting a thorough study of environmental, livelihood, and social impacts.
He added that the project was subsequently put on hold due to protests by fishermen, social organisations, and environmental activists.
He recalled that TVK had also passed a resolution in 2024 opposing the project.
“By extending the permission for another year, the government has shown that it does not care about the livelihood of fishermen, the coastal environment, and the future of the district. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay should cancel the project completely,” he said.
President of the association P Arul Anandan claimed that former Chief Minister M K Stalin had given an assurance that the project would not be implemented.
“We were relieved until the new order was issued. We will be meeting people’s representatives to seek their support and are planning our next course of action to get the order revoked,” he said.
Neithal Makkal Iyakkam district secretary Kurumpanai C Berlin said they expected the TVK government should cancel the permission.
Former director of coastal peace and development, Fr A Dunston, said the project would worsen sea erosion in Kanniyakumari.
When contacted, IREL (India) Ltd officials said the project would not affect people or the environment. An official said land would be acquired beyond 500 metres from the beach, and only with the concurrence of landowners.
He added that excavated sand would be refilled after mining of minerals.
