Conveyed TN's opposition to tungsten mining to Centre in Oct 2023: Minister Duraimurugan

Chennai, Nov 30 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu government had conveyed its staunch opposition to mining of tungsten in Arittapatti and surrounding villages in Madurai, on October 3, 2023, itself, but the opposition parties were spreading a misinformation campaign that the state government approved the mining only to divert the people’s attention on the issue, state Mining and Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said on Saturday.

The minister said immediately after the Union government announced the amended Mineral Policy regarding the auctioning of critical minerals, including tungsten, in September 2023, he clearly expressed the Tamil Nadu government’s opposition through a letter addressed to the then Union Minister of Mines on October 3, 2023.

However, in his reply on November 2, 2023, the then Central Minister rejected Tamil Nadu’s objection and stated that this auction would be held only after making necessary legal amendments and that the state governments should cooperate considering the national requirement.

"Following this, the Union government asked for details about the lands in Melur area of Madurai. We pointed out that the Arittapatti area in the proposed area is a biodiversity heritage site. The Centre did not consider this but accorded sanction for tungsten mining to Hindustan Zinc Limited," Duraimuragan said in a statement here.

However, taken aback by the people’s opposition to mining and Chief Minister M K Stalin’s firm stand in not allowing the mining operation, the Union government, and the opposition parties were spreading a false campaign that the Tamil Nadu government had approved the mining in order to divert the people’s attention on the issue, Duraimurugan alleged.

"The truth is the people are not prepared to believe false uttering," the minister said. PTI JSP KH