Annamalai: Exclude protected agri areas in TN from coal mine auction

CHENNAI: State BJP president K Annamalai and party's national general secretary C T Ravi on Wednesday called on Union Minister of Parliament Affairs, Coals and Mines Pralhad Joshi and submitted a petition, requesting the ministry to cancel the tender called for the auction of coal reserves in the protected agricultural zones in Tamil Nadu.

In the petition, Annamalai stated that the Tamil Nadu government passed the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act, 2020, two years ago.

It prohibits hydrocarbon extraction in eight districts - Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Karuru and Tiruchy - in the state.

The ministry, on March 29, released a tender to auction coal mines for sales of coal/lignite. The tender document called for the auction of coal reserves in East of Sethiathope, Michaelpatti and Vadaseri that fall under the protected agricultural zone. "We request to remove the 3 blocks tendered for extraction from the recently released coal auction tender," Annamalai said in the petition.