CM Stalin urges PM Modi to exclude delta areas of TN from bidding process for coal

The 3 mining blocks in Cauvery Delta proposed for auction w/o obtaining the concurrence of the state govt is unfortunate. It should be excluded from the bidding process for coal.

I request @PMOIndia & @JoshiPralhad‘s urgent intervention to rectify the situation & avoid disquiet. pic.twitter.com/1hKfQ7Vt1o

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) April 4, 2023

The Chief Minister said neither was the concurrence of the state government obtained prior to the floating of the tender nor were they consulted in this matter. “It is unfortunate that the Ministry of Coal, Government of India has proceeded unilaterally with no consultation with the states in such a sensitive matter,” Stalin said.

He claimed that all three mining blocks fall in the Cauvery delta area of Tamil Nadu which constitutes the main food producing area of the state.

According to the statement, Michaelpatti is in Udayarpalayam taluk of Ariyalur district, East of Sethiathope in Bhuvanagiri taluk of Cuddalore district and Vadaseri is in Orathanadu taluk of Thanjavur district.

Vadaseri and East of Sethiathope fall within the Protected Agricultural Zone under the Tamil Nadu Protected Agriculture Zone Development Act, 2020, while the Michaelpatti block falls in a major paddy growing area adjoining a very fertile part of the Cauvery delta.

Quoting section 4(1) of the Act, Stalin said, “No person shall undertake any new project or new activity specified in the Second Schedule in the protected agricultural zone.”

The projects are covered in the second schedule and thus prohibited from exploration, drilling and extraction of oil and natural gas, including coal-bed methane, shale gas and other similar hydrocarbons. The present tender conditions include the exploitation of coal bed methane and hence are covered within the prohibition of the Tamil Nadu Protected Agriculture Zone Development Act, 2020, he said.

The Chief Minister added that even if the tender process is conducted and a successful bidder identified, it would not be possible to take up the mining project and hence, the auction process is a wasteful exercise in so far as the identified blocks in Tamil Nadu are concerned.

“Had the state government been consulted prior to the issue of the notification, these issues could have been clarified and the unnecessary disquiet caused by the issue of the notification for auction could have been avoided,” the letter read.

He said in these circumstances, given the fact that valuable agricultural lands are involved and the food security of the people of Tamil Nadu is at stake, it would be appropriate if the three mining blocks proposed for auction are excluded from the auction process by the issue of a necessary corrigendum.

“I would further request that in future, the state governments are consulted by the concerned ministries in the Government of India before such public notifications are issued. I request your urgent intervention in this regard to rectify the situation caused by the issue of this notification by the Ministry of Coal, so that needless agitation and disquiet is avoided,” Stalin said.