No application received from Vedanta for tungsten mining: Tamil Nadu

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday said it has neither received any application from Hindustan Zinc Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta, to mine tungsten in about 5,000 acres of land in the Madurai district nor it has granted permission for the same. 

HZL was on November 7 allotted the tungsten mine by the Union Ministry of Mines, but protests have erupted in Melur taluk in the district since the area chosen for unearthing the metal is located close to an ecologically sensitive zone. 

Forest Minister K Ponmudy said the state government would “reject permission” for mining tungsten if it found any damage to ecology due to the project.

The auction has kicked up a row with the chosen block being located close to Arittapatti, which was notified as the first Biodiversity Heritage Site of Tamil Nadu in 2022. 

Activists and villagers have taken objection to the mining of tungsten in the ecologically sensitive zone with Arittapatti consisting of a chain of seven barren granite hillocks and the distinctive landscape of rocky hills acting as a watershed, supporting 72 lakes, 200 natural spring pools, and 3 check dams. The block consists of about 10 villages, including Arittapatti. 

Tungsten is a refractory metal which has a wide application in defence and medical industries. 

A statement from the Tamil Nadu government said on Thursday that it has not received any permission from HZL for mining tungsten in the state. “No permission has been given by the state government for the project,” the statement added. 

Ponmudy, who addressed a press conference, said it was the DMK government that declared Arittapatti village as a Biodiversity Heritage Site in 2022 and that it will continue to protect the ecologically sensitive zone. 

“We haven’t received any application seeking permission for mining tungsten. Even if we get any application, we will impress upon the Union Government not to go ahead with the project. If we find any damage to ecology, we will reject the application,” he said. 

Hillocks in Arittapatti village have rich biological and historical significance with the presence of around 250 bird species, including 3 flagship Raptor species – Laggar Falcon (Falco jugger), Shaheen Falcon (Falco peregrines), and Bonelli's Eagle (Aquila fasciata). The village also features various megalithic structures, Tamil Brahmi inscriptions, Jain Beds, and 2200-year-old rock-cut temples. 

In a statement issued on November 7, the Union Ministry of Mines said Hindustan Zinc Limited has bagged the contract to mine tungsten in Nayakkarpatti Tungsten Block in Tamil Nadu and Balepalyam Tungsten and Associated Mineral Block in Andhra Pradesh. 

A summary of the mineral block accessed by DH says the mines are located in Kulanipatti and Melur villages in Melur taluk and that the area is characterised by plain topography except for some hillocks and elongated hills.