On December 9, 2024, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution urging the Union government to immediately cancel the tungsten mining rights granted to Hindustan Zinc Limited in Nayakkarpatti village, Madurai district. The resolution emphasized that no mining licenses should be issued without the consent of the respective state government.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin assured the Assembly that as long as he holds office, the state government will not permit tungsten mining in the Madurai district. He highlighted the area’s ecological and cultural significance, noting that the proposed mining site includes the Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage Site and several locations of archaeological importance.
The resolution received support from various political parties, including the opposition AIADMK and PMK. However, the BJP’s stance was less clear, as they did not explicitly oppose the resolution during the voice vote. The Assembly session witnessed heated debates, with opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami criticizing the ruling DMK government for not acting promptly to prevent the auctioning of the mining rights. In response, Chief Minister Stalin defended the government’s actions, stating that they had consistently opposed the project and would continue to do so.
Following the Assembly’s resolution and public protests, the Union Ministry of Mines requested the Tamil Nadu government to hold off on issuing the Letter of Intent to Hindustan Zinc Limited. The Ministry also directed the Geological Survey of India to explore the possibility of redefining the block boundary to exclude the biodiversity heritage site.
This series of events underscores the importance of balancing economic development with environmental conservation and respecting local sentiments.
