CHENNAI: MDMK general secretary Vaiko on Tuesday urged the State government not to grant Vedanta any permission, including environmental clearance, to carry out tungsten mining in Arittapatti at Melur in Madurai district.

Vaiko referred to the nationwide auction for mining mineral resources made by the Union Ministry of Minerals and Mines, which had awarded Hindustan Zinc Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta, a license to mine tungsten in over 5,000 acres in Melur. "It is strongly condemned that the Union BJP government has once again permitted a subsidiary of the Vedanta Group, which was responsible for the killing of 16 people during the anti-Sterlite protest shoot out in Thoothukudi, for a dangerous project in TN," he said. Centre is once again abetting efforts to destroy people's livelihoods and environment.

Pointing out that the State government has declared Arittapatti village as a biodiversity and heritage site covering an area of 5,000 acres (193.215 hectares), he said that the project will destroy 2,200-year-old Tamil Brahmi inscriptions, cave temples, and Jain beds in this area, he said in a statement. The wildlife in the nearby Perumal Hills will also be lost once and for all if the mining is allowed, he said. He pointed out the protests by villagers living around the approved site and asked the DMK government not to give in to the Centre’s plans.