TN CM Opposes Auction of Coal Blocks in Fertile Cauvery Delta, Urges Centre to Consult State

The Tamil Nadu government was not even consulted in the subject, and the Union Coal Ministry proceeded unilaterally, Stalin wrote to Modi, requesting that the State government be consulted in the future. Stalin's involvement came after the Tamil Nadu All Farmers Associations Coordination Committee said that it would conduct a protest because the proposed mines would cause an environmental calamity if the auction went ahead.

"If permitted, the mining project would result in desertification, complete groundwater depletion, the extinction of fertile areas, and the displacement of people," said PR Pandian, a farmers' leader, in a statement. The CPI(M) and the PMK, among others, have vigorously opposed the proposed sale in Tamil Nadu. The Marxist-affiliated TN Vivasayigal Sangam has threatened that it will continue to demonstrate.

Ministers MRK Panneerselvam (Agriculture) and Udhayanidhi Stalin (Youth Welfare) both stated that such mining ventures would be prohibited. Udhayanidhi stated that Chief Minister Stalin would make an announcement in the Legislature on Wednesday. According to the Chief Minister, three of the 101 blocks put up for auction across the country are in Tamil Nadu. The three blocks- East of Sethiathope, Michaelpatti, and Vadaseri- were located in Tamil Nadu's Cauvery delta region, which is known as the state's rice bowl.

According to the Tamil Nadu Protected Agriculture Zone Development Act, 2020, Vadaseri and East of Sethiathope lie inside the Protected Agricultural Zone, whereas the Michaelpatti block is adjacent to a highly fertile region of the Cauvery delta. Michaelpatti is in the Ariyalur district's Udayarpalayam taluk, East of Sethiathope is in the Cuddalore district's Bhuvanagiri taluk, and Vadaseri is in Thanjavur's Orathanadu taluk.

"No one shall undertake any new project or new activity described in the Second Schedule in the protected agricultural zone," states Section 4(1) of the 2020 Act. The Second Schedule prohibits "exploration, drilling, and extraction of oil and natural gas, including coal-bed methane, shale gas, and other comparable hydrocarbons." The current bidding requirements include the extraction of coal-bed methane, which is prohibited   under the Tamil Nadu Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act.

This means that even if the bidding procedure was completed and a successful bidder was determined, the mining project would be unable to proceed. As a result, in terms of the specified blocks in Tamil Nadu, the auction procedure is a waste of time. "These difficulties might have been resolved and the unneeded discontent produced by the issue of the notification for auction should have been averted," Stalin added.

"Given the value of the agricultural lands involved and the food security of the people of Tamil Nadu at stake, it would be appropriate if the three mining blocks in Tamil Nadu proposed for auction in the 7th/17th tranche of auction are excluded from the auction process by issuing a corrigendum," he added. Stalin also requested that "in the future, the concerned Ministries in the Government of India consult the State Governments before such public notifications are issued" and requested the Prime Minister's "urgent intervention" "in this regard to rectify the situation caused by the issue of this notification by the Ministry of Coal, so that unnecessary agitation and disquiet is avoided."

Under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015, and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, the nominated body under the Union Ministry of Coal had invited the 17th and 7th tranches of auction for coal and lignite on March 29, 2023.