Fri Jan 03 21:21:00 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu Villagers Stage Protest Against Tungsten Mining Project

**Madurai, Tamil Nadu, January 4, 2025** – Hundreds of women in Melur taluk, Madurai district, are staging a vibrant yet determined protest against a proposed tungsten mining project. Using traditional *kummi* folk dance, the women, primarily daily wage laborers and farm workers, are voicing their opposition to the project awarded to Hindustan Zinc Limited by the Union Ministry of Mines.

The project, encompassing 5,000 acres across eight blocks, threatens the Melur region, including the biodiversity heritage site of Arittapatti and other historically significant areas. Villagers fear the environmental and cultural devastation the mining operation would cause. Their concerns are amplified by the project’s proximity to numerous historical sites, including rock-cut temples, megalithic structures, and ancient inscriptions dating back to the Pandya kingdom. The area is also home to a rich variety of flora and fauna, including several endangered species.

The Tamil Nadu state government has publicly opposed the project, passing a resolution in the State Assembly stating their intent to prevent its implementation. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin urged the central government to cancel the mining rights. However, the Union Ministry maintains that it consulted the state government before the auction. This claim is disputed by villagers who allege interference by state ministers in local government meetings to prevent resolutions opposing the project.

Environmental activists and archaeologists are also strongly condemning the project, highlighting the potential irreversible damage to the region’s unique biodiversity and cultural heritage. They accuse the Ministry of Mines of downplaying the project’s impact by naming it after a small hamlet, rather than using a more widely recognized location name. The project’s potential health risks, drawing parallels to similar mining operations in China, are also raising serious concerns.

Following significant public outcry, the government has temporarily halted the issuance of a Letter of Intent to Hindustan Zinc and instructed the Geological Survey of India to redefine the project boundaries, excluding the Arittapatti biodiversity heritage site. However, villagers remain skeptical and plan a major protest march on January 7th.

The ongoing dispute highlights the conflict between economic development and environmental protection, as well as the complex interplay between state and central government authority in resource management. The villagers’ resolute protests underscore the deep-rooted cultural and environmental significance of the Melur region and their determination to protect their heritage and livelihoods.

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