TN: ‘Tweets Won’t Suffice, Cancel Coal Mine Auction,’ say Farmers

The Union coal minister Prahlad Joshi only gave an “assurance” and the decision to auction three coal mines in Tamil Nadu is “not officially withdrawn,” said the joint movement for the protection of the Cauvery delta basin.

The joint movement held a consultative meeting in Thanjavur on Sunday and decided that if the Centre does not delist the three blocks marked out in the delta districts for coal mining, a movement will be launched for the protection of the Cauvery basin.

P Shanmugam, who presided over the meeting, told media persons, “The Union coal minister has only made a promise that the Tamil Nadu blocks will be exempted from the auction; it cannot be considered a cancellation order. Promises made by BJP ministers are not orders.”

“The coal ministry should issue an order by the end of April stating it will remove the three blocks from the auction list. Otherwise, the joint movement for the protection of the Cauvery basin will launch a strong protest against the government in the first week of May,” said Samy Natarajan, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasaya Sangam.

On March 29, the Union coal ministry issued a tender notification for the seventh round of coal mining auction list at 101 locations in the country; it listed three areas in the Cauvery Delta districts of Tamil Nadu.

‘SHOCKED TO HEAR THE DECISION’

Strongly objecting to the decision to auction coal mines in the Cauvery Delta region, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Further, replying to the special call attention motions moved by MLAs in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on April 5, the CM said the state would never allow mining in the region.

“Just like all of you, I was also shocked to hear about the news of coal mine auctions. I immediately contacted the concerned authorities and wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said M K Stalin while speaking in the Assembly.

The Union government's tender notice for establishing coal mines by private companies at Sethiathoppu in Cuddalore district, Michaelpatti in Ariyalur district, and Vadaseri in Thanjavur district was a shock to the people and farmers of the entire delta region. These are fertile paddy growing areas and a protected agricultural zone.

The decision was vehemently opposed by political parties and farmers’ groups in the state. 

‘BJP WANTS POLITICAL GAINS’

On April 6, Union coal minister Prahlad Joshi shared a tweet stating that upon the request of BJP State President Annamalai, he excluded Tamil Nadu from the auction.

The tweet read, “BJP Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai rushed to call upon me in Bengaluru with request to exclude 3 Lignite mines from auctions in 7th tranche. In spirit of cooperative federalism & keeping in mind interest of people of TN, I have directed to exclude them from auction.”

.@BJP4TamilNadu Pres. @annamalai_k rushed to call upon me in Bengaluru with request to exclude 3 Lignite mines from auctions in 7th tranche.

In spirit of cooperative federalism & keeping in mind interest of people of TN, I have directed to exclude them from auction.@mkstalin pic.twitter.com/Zd25WoC0GJ

— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) April 6, 2023

Shanmugam said, “Upon the minister’s promise, the media and leaders of various organisations declared that the project had been cancelled. But, the Union minister tweeted on April 6, and till the evening of April 8, Tamil Nadu blocks were still included in the auction list.”

“This is a play that Annamalai and the Union minister are performing for their own political gain. It is staged on the day of the Prime Minister's visit to Tamil Nadu. The main reason for this act was the strong opposition from the people of Tamil Nadu,” he added.

“So far, there has been no response from the Prime Minister to the Chief Minister's letter. The tender notification issued by the Union Ministry of Coal is not cancelled. The Union Minister only tweeted in response to BJP President Annamalai. Will the auction be cancelled via Twitter?” asked Shanmugam.

In the past, the Union government planned to extract methane and hydrocarbons from the Cauvery Delta districts in Tamil Nadu, but the farmers strongly opposed it.

Under the previous AIADMK regime, the Cauvery Delta districts were declared as protected agricultural zones, and any activities like coal mining, petrol extraction, methane, shale gas, etc., that would destroy farming in the area, were prohibited.