CHENNAI: Scores of villagers including farmers launched a massive rally against the proposed tungsten mining project in Madurai.

The rally commenced at Narasingampatti near Melur and the protesters are marching towards Madurai city, where a protest demonstration is scheduled at Tallakulam.

Traders also downed shutters in support of the demands of the agitating villagers. Initially when the rally began, vehicular traffic was disrupted for some time on Melur- Madurai road, but later diverted.

The Centre approved the tungsten mining project to come up at Nayakkarpatti. The villagers were engaged in a series of protests urging the immediate need to scrap the project as it would be detrimental to agriculture and environment.

State government had earlier adopted a resolution against tungsten mining. Moreover, when Grama Sabha meetings were held earlier, 25 village panchayats in Melur taluk passed resolutions against the mining.