Rahul writes to PM condemning approval for offshore mining in Kerala, Guj & Andaman

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking cancellation of tenders allowing offshore mining along the coast of Kerala, Gujarat, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

In a letter to PM Modi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha urged the government to cancel the tenders and called for rigorous scientific studies to assess the environmental and socio-economic impact of offshore mining.

“Our coastal communities have been protesting against the manner in which tenders for offshore mining have been floated without evaluating their environmental impact. Millions of fisherfolk have expressed grave concerns about its impact on their livelihoods and way of life,” Gandhi said.

“I write to you to strongly condemn the central government’s decision to permit offshore mining along the coast of Kerala, Gujarat, and Andaman & Nicobar”, he wrote.

The first tranche of 13 offshore mining blocks was launched in November 2024, according to Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav’s response in Lok Sabha on March 18.

Of these, three are off the Gujarat coast, three off Kerala and seven in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The government’s decision is based on the Geological Survey of India’s (GSI) findings that several tonnes of construction-grade sand and gravel could be harvested from the offshore regions.

Also Read: Government promises to address concerns about offshore sand mining

The GSI identified polymetallic nodules containing iron, manganese, nickel, cobalt and copper, along with rare earth elements beneath the sea.

“Among the 13 blocks, three are for mining construction sand on the coast of Kollam – a vital fish breeding habitat, and three blocks for polymetallic nodules off the coast of the Great Nicobar Islands – a marine biodiversity hotspot,” Gandhi mentioned in his letter.

Gandhi further pointed to the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023, which he said had met with strong opposition primarily due to the opening up of offshore mining to private players “without any rigorous assessment of its

In his letter, he referred to the ongoing survey of the Marine Monitoring Lab (MML) of the University of Kerala’s Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries which found that offshore mining could have a devastating impact on fish breeding, especially in Kollam. impact.”

“At a juncture where erosion of our coastal ecosystems has worsened the impact of natural calamities like cyclones, it is concerning that the government is willfully greenlighting activities without a scientific assessment,” Gandhi added, reiterating his demand for rigorous scientific studies and consultations.

Notably, Union minister of state for environment, forest and climate Kirti Vardhan Singh defended the decision, stating on March 18, that a consultative process with stakeholders, including state governments, had taken place at various stages, including during the amendment of the Offshore Areas Act.

“The offshore mining blocks have been carefully selected, ensuring that these protected areas and fishing areas remain unaffected,” Singh said.