MADURAI: Despite assurance and State Assembly resolution, insecure villagers from Nayakkarpatti, Arittapatti are having their fingers crossed, as the mining proposal in the area is yet to be officially withdrawn.
Tungsten Mining Project Ethirppu Makkal Kootamaippu representative K Selvaraj shares his relief that the protest now has support from various sections of the society beyond political parties. Even ecologists have joined the army of support, he said. The Tamil nationalist party Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) has planned a protest supporting the villagers.
As the pressure is mounting on the State and Central governments, the villagers hope their demand to drop the mining project will come true soon. But they await the formal withdrawal of the licence issued to Hindustan Zinc Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Group, as a sign of their victory. Till then, all the smiles on their faces are temporary.