Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked him to exclude the Cauvery Delta region from the coal bidding process since the region constitutes the main food-producing area of the State. The CM also pointed out that the Centre was neither informed before floating the tender nor was consulted in the sensitive matter.
In a letter, TN CM Stalin said, “The Nominated Authority under the Ministry of Coal of the Government of India has invited the 1777 Tranche of Auction under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2005, Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 for coal and lignite on 29 March, 2023.”
ALSO READ: Gyanvapi Case: ASI To File Reply In Allahabad HC Today Over Carbon Dating Of 'Shivling'
The Union government started the seventh round of the bidding process for commercial coal last week. Out of the 101 blocks put up for auctions across India, three places including East Sethiathope, Michaelpatti and Vadaseri from Tamil Nadu were also put up for auctions.
All three of these mining blocks were from Cauvery Delta area of Tamil Nadu. Michaelpatti is in Udayarpalayam Taluk of Ariyalur district, East of Sethisthope 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 Tamil Nadu Protected Agriculture Zone Development Act, 2020, while Michaelpatti Block a major paddy growing area adjoining a very fertile part of the Cauvery Delta, said the letter.
CM Stalin said: “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. This implies that even if the tender process is conducted and a successful hidder identified, it would not be possible to take up the mining project. Hence, the auction process is a wasteful exercise in so far as the identified blocks in Tamil Nadu are concerned.”
As a result, the CM urged the urgent intervention of the PM to rectify the situation caused by the issue of this notification by the Ministry of Coal.