The Union Government canceled the Nayakkarpatti tungsten block auction in Madurai after protests and concerns about environmental and cultural impacts.
The auction had been part of a plan to mine 2,015.51 hectares for tungsten, awarded to Vedanta’s Hindustan Zinc Limited.
Proximity to Arittapatti, Tamil Nadu’s first biodiversity heritage site, raised fears of damaging historical sites, cave temples, Jain symbols, and rare species habitats.
The Centre initially defended the auction but later deferred the issuance of a mining contract and considered adjusting boundaries to exclude the biodiversity site.
Ultimately, the government annulled the auction after meeting with local leaders, influenced by political factors and public opposition.
Tungsten is a rare, critical mineral needed for defense and technology, and mining it in Tamil Nadu is vital for India’s strategic needs, but its scarcity in the state adds complexity to the decision.
Despite political dynamics, a more balanced approach considering both environmental concerns and the strategic need for tungsten would have been preferable, possibly waiting for the Geological Survey of India’s (GSI) report before acting.
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