Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin today assured the State Assembly that the State government would not permit coal mining in the Cauvery delta region.
Replying to a Special Call Attention motion given notice of by members of various political parties, including DMK MLA T.R.B.Raaja, he said like how the members were shocked on hearing that the Centre has chosen three blocks in Tamil Nadu for coal mining auction in the Cauvery delta districts, he too was shocked on coming to know of it.
He said soon after hearing about it, he wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to exclude the three blocks in Tamil Nadu from auction.
He said he also sent copies of the letter to DMK Parliamentary Party leader T.R.Baalu and asked him to hand it over to the concerned Union Minister and register the State’s opposition to it.
Since the concerned Union Minister was out of station, Mr Baalu could not meet him in person, he said.
However, he spoke to the Minister over phone and the latter assured that the Centre would definitely take into account the Chief Minister’s letter and asked him not to be worried.
Mr Stalin said he was definitely more determined on the issue and that the Tamil Nadu government will not give any permission for coal mining in the Cauvery delta region of the State.
‘I am saying this not only as a Chief Minister but also as person belonging to the delta region (Tiruvarur district) that definitely the government will not permit coal mining in the delta region”, he said, amid thumping of desks by the members of the Treasury Benches.
