Vaiko announces protest against tungsten mining on Jan 3
In a statement, the senior leader said that permission has been given to Hindustan Zinc Limited, which is a part of Vedanta, to mine tungsten on 5,000 acre land near Melur.
MDMK general secretary Vaiko
CHENNAI: MDMK general secretary Vaiko, an ally of the ruling DMK government, has announced a protest against proposed tungsten mining in Melur in Madurai on January 3.
The senior leader issued a statement saying permission has been given to Hindustan Zinc Limited, which is part of Vedanta, to mine tungsten on a 5,000-acre land near Melur. "The state government has declared Arittapatti as a biodiversity heritage site, which houses 250 species of birds, 72 lakes, and 200 natural springs, among others. The lakes irrigate thousands of acres of agricultural lands," he said.
"It is condemnable that the government has given permission to Vedanta, which was the reason for the death of 16 persons in Thoothukudi. Moreover, the state government has passed a resolution against the proposal on December 9. The union government should accept the resolution and cancel the permission given for mining, " he added.