Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Wednesday, May 28, 2003 |
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Industry & Economy
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Mining & Quarrying Mineral sand mining plan hits roadblock Mony K. Mathew
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, May 27 THE mineral sand mining project, cleared by the State Cabinet recently, is facing mounting opposition because of its alleged ecological impact on the coastal belt in Alappuzha district. The Rs 400-crore project has been proposed by Kerala Rare Earths and Minerals Ltd, which is a joint venture of Kochi-based Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd, the public sector Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IRE) and the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation. The proposal came up after the State Government formulated a minerals policy, which favoured opening up beach sand mining to companies in the joint venture. It was stated that the world-class deposits of mineral sands, comprising rare earths, along the coast were facing man-made extinction due to increasing construction activities. The project in question is to take up mining operations between Kayamkulam and Thottapally in Alappuzha district and outside the blocks reserved for IRE and the Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML). It will also avoid the areas demarcated for the project proposed by IRE and the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) at the global investors meet. It has been pointed out that the project envisages merely sand collection and that too to a maximum depth of one metre from the surface. The new company will also not be allowed to take up manufacture of products which are already rolled out by KMML, Travancore Titanium Products Ltd and IRE. The campaign against the project is spearheaded by Mr V.M. Sudheeran, Congress MP, who has urged the Chief Minister, Mr A.K. Antony, to drop the Government decision to allow large-scale exploitation of the mineral sand. According to him, the people of the region have serious apprehensions about the project as the area is ecologically fragile, prone to severe sea erosion even in the summer months. Besides, the sea off the coast is famous for the occurrence of chakara, which ensured good catch for the traditional fishermen. He has also alleged that the study conducted by the Government was done in complete secrecy. The subsequent public hearing was intended more to present the arguments in favour of the project than to hear what the people of the region had to say, he alleged.
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