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Rights

People’s Victory: Modi Government Forced to Cancel Mining Project in Tamil Nadu

Celebrations erupt after India’s ultra-right-wing government cancelled a hazardous mining project, following consistent mass protests.

People’s Victory: Modi Government Forced to Cancel Mining Project in Tamil Nadu

Celebrations erupt in Arittapatti, Tamil Nadu following the cancellation of a tungsten mining project. Photo: CPI(M)/X

Thousands of people took to the streets in Tamil Nadu last week to celebrate their victory against mining giant Vedanta Limited, after the government was forced to withdraw its permit for mining in an environmentally and culturally sensitive region.

The union government revoked its approval for a tungsten mining project in Nayakkarpatti, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, after prolonged opposition from the local community led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other political formations. 
In November last year, the ultra-right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government granted mining rights to Hindustan Zinc Limited, a subsidiary of mining giant Vedanta. The mining project would have affected 5,000 acres of land, encompassing ten villages in the Melur block of the Madurai district.

Melur, where the mine was proposed, is an area of significant biodiversity and cultural importance. It is home to the Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage Site, apart from having notable cultural and historical landmarks.

The BJP government announced the withdrawal of Vedanta’s mining permit on Thursday, January 23, following a meeting between the country’s Minister of Mining Krishna Reddy, and some local representatives.

On Monday, following the central government’s decision, the provincial government also announced the withdrawal of criminal cases against protestors. The security forces had booked over 11,000 people on criminal charges for taking part in the protests against the project, The Hindu reported.

Chief Minister M. K. Stalin praised the people’s resilience. “BJP, the ruling party at the center, tried to implement the tungsten mining project in Melur, but protests by people made it withdraw its decision,” Stalin said on Sunday.

CPI(M) Tamil Nadu state unit also congratulated the people. It emphasized that their success once again confirms that the ruling class only listens to the language of struggle. Apart from raising environmental concerns, the left group also raised the issue of the involvement of private companies in looting the country’s significant resources and demanded that all mining rights be exclusively in the hands of the public.

State President S. Karthik, District Secretary P. Tamirasan and others participated in the victory celebration held in Arittapatti to announce the cancellation of the tungsten mining project. Photo: CPI(M)/X

BJP Government’s Environmental Record is Questionable

The BJP government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has often been accused of ignoring environmental norms and other popular concerns while sanctioning big projects. For example, the coal mining project run by Adani Enterprises Limited in Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo forests or the Great Nicobar Project in the ecologically sensitive Andaman and Nicobar Island, have both faced significant criticism and opposition.

As happened in Hasdeo as well as the Great Nicobar Project in Melur, the BJP government ignored the Gram Sabha’s (local village administration) resolution opposing the mining project.

Prior consent of the respective village administration is constitutionally and legally required before sanctioning any project in India.

The central government also ignored the resolution adopted by the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly against the project and was adamant in moving forward despite the repeated protests by the local people, attempting to label the opposition as baseless.

Tungsten mining is particularly dangerous and the process can cause the release of large amounts of harmful elements, such as arsenic in local water bodies, leading to long term impacts on human health apart from negatively impacting the local environment. Vedanta’s bad record in maintaining health and environmental commitments in its other mining projects was also a big reason for the popular agitation against the Melur project.

Mass Protests Rock Tamil Nadu

The project faced strong protests from the day it was sanctioned, with thousands of villagers consistently taking to the streets under the leadership of local leaders and CPI(M) Member of Parliament from Madurai constituency, Su. Venkatesan.

Protest in Madurai on December 15. Photo: CPI(M)/X

On January 7, thousands of people marched over 20 kilometers from Melur to Madurai despite attempts by the security forces to stop them. CPI(M) organized another protest on January 15.

The youth wing of the CPI(M), Democratic Youth Federation (DYFI), carried out a three day foot march against the project between January 21 and 23.

The successful withdrawal of the mining project in Tamil Nadu highlights the power of mass movements and the resilience of local communities. It also sends a strong message to the Modi government about the importance of the people’s demands and the environment’s needs in shaping policy.

Courtesy: Peoples Dispatch

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