Only Centre has granted permission for tungsten mining at Arittapatti: Forest Minister

Forest Minister K Ponmudy clarifies Tamil Nadu government has not granted permission for tungsten mining near Aritappati Biodiversity Heritage Site.

Forest Minister K. Ponmudy on Thursday reiterated that the State government had not granted any permission for tungsten mining (by a Vedanta subsidiary) near Arittapatti, a Biodiversity Heritage Site in Madurai. Only the Union Government had granted permission for establishing a mining company, he said.

“When it comes for want of permission from the [Tamil Nadu’s] Forest Department, we will flag all the issues and insist on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government to reject it,” the Minister told journalists in Chennai.

To a query on whether it could be understood that the Tamil Nadu government would reject the application seeking permission, Mr. Ponmudy maintained that the State government has not given any permission.

To persistent queries, he maintained: “The application has not come in yet. Once it does, if it is found that it would have an adverse impact, it would be rejected.”

During his remarks on the issue, Mr. Ponmudy recalled that it was under the DMK government that the site at Arittapatti was declared a Biodiversity Heritage Site “only because Tamil Nadu Chief Minister wants to ensure that it remains a forest area.”