Sat Jan 11 16:06:28 UTC 2025: ## Kerala Government Opposes Central Offshore Sand Mining Plan
**THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, January 11, 2025** – The Kerala State government has voiced strong opposition to the Union government’s plan for offshore sand mining along the Kerala coast. The state argues that the project, slated to begin with an e-auction of mineral blocks, ignores Kerala’s interests and the potential environmental damage.
Principal Secretary (Industries) A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish conveyed this opposition at a Ministry of Mines roadshow in Kochi. The Kerala government claims that an estimated 745 million tonnes of sand deposits are present in five sectors along the coast. They contend that the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002, and its 2023 amendments, fail to protect state interests, with all mining royalties going solely to the central government. The 2023 amendment also allows for private participation in the mining.
The state’s primary concern is the lack of consideration for environmental impact. The government highlighted the close interlinkage between offshore mineral deposits and fragile marine ecosystems, stating that the impact of offshore mining on these ecosystems hasn’t been adequately studied. This is not the first time Kerala has voiced its concerns regarding the shortcomings of this legislation.
First Piper 