Tamil Nadu Rejects Mining Proposal by Hindustan Zinc for Tungsten in Ecologically Sensitive Zone
The government of Tamil Nadu has stated that it has not received any application from Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL), a subsidiary of Vedanta, for permission to mine tungsten across 5,000 acres in Madurai district. Furthermore, the state has not granted any such approval, a position reaffirmed on Thursday amid concerns about the ecological impact.
The Union Ministry of Mines, however, granted permission to HZL on November 7 for mining activities in Melur taluk, Madurai district, close to Arittapatti. This area was declared the first Biodiversity Heritage Site of Tamil Nadu in 2022, known for its chain of seven granite hillocks, which act as a watershed for 72 lakes, 200 natural springs, and three check dams. The ecologically sensitive zone is a crucial source of water and biodiversity.
Local activists and villagers have been protesting the mining plans, citing potential harm to the fragile ecosystem of Arittapatti. "We have not received any application seeking permission for mining tungsten," said Ponmudy, a state official, during a press conference on Thursday. "Even if we receive an application, we will advise the Centre against proceeding with the project. The DMK government declared Arittapatti as a Biodiversity Heritage Site in 2022, and we will continue to protect this ecologically sensitive zone."
DMK Member of Parliament K Kanimozhi also criticized the approval granted by the Union Government, recalling Vedanta's history of environmental controversies, specifically the closure of the Sterlite copper smelting plant in Thoothukudi due to its environmental impact. "I strongly condemn the Union Government for permitting Vedanta-Hindustan Zinc to mine tungsten in Nayakkarpatti, Madurai," Kanimozhi stated on social media. "This move ignores Vedanta's history of environmental destruction. Tungsten mining risks devastating local ecosystems, displacing communities, and violating people's rights. The government must listen to the local population and revoke this decision immediately."
The Union Ministry of Mines also announced on November 7 that HZL had won contracts to mine tungsten in both the Nayakkarpatti block in Tamil Nadu and the Balepalyam block in Andhra Pradesh.
