Clarify stand on auction of 3 coal mines in Delta: Anbumani to govt

CHENNAI: PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday asked the State government to clarify its stand on the Centre notifying the auction of three coal mines at Sethiathoppu in Cuddalore, Michealpatti in Ariyalur and Vadaseri in Thanjavur in the seventh round of commercial mines auctioning and how it going to protect the farmers.

“While the Central government is serious about bringing coal mines in the State, the Tamil Nadu government has not yet expressed any opinion. The fact that the Tamil Nadu government has not even declared its policy position on this issue creates doubt and fear,” he said in a statement.

He said that while these mines were not auctioned in the sixth round announced last year, they have now been included in the seventh round of auctions. “This shows that the Union government is determined to implement the Sethiathoppu, Michealpatti and Vadaseri coal mines,” he said, adding that after the preliminary works, the online auctioning will take place from June 26 to July 10. He demanded the union government drop these projects.

Earlier, Anbumani urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to declare on the floor of the State Assembly that the government would not allow six new mines to come up in the Cauvery Delta region. He said the Cuddalore district administration has been using force to acquire land for the NLC’s mine 2 expansion. It is planning to acquire 25,000 acres of land for the coal mine expansion project to extract 1.15 crore tons of coal annually. “There is a plan to set up coal mines at Veeranam, Palayamkottai, Sethiathoppu, Vadaseri and Michealpatti in the Cauvery Delta protected agricultural zone,” he said, adding that all the six projects require the land acquisition of 1.25 lakh acres.