Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, strongly opposing the central government’s reported decision to permit offshore mining along the coasts of Kerala, Gujarat, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
”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 livelihood and way of life,” he said in the letter.
Advertisement
Mr Gandhi alleged that tenders were floated without any consultations with the stakeholders or an assessment of the long-term socio-economic impact on coastal communities. He claimed that the ongoing survey of the Marine Monitoring Lab (MML) of the University of Kerala’s Department of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries found that offshore mining could have a devastating impact on fish breeding, especially in Kolam.
”At a juncture when erosion of our coastal ecosystems has worsened the impact of calamities like cyclones, it is concerning that the government is wilfully greenlighting activities without a scientific assessment,” the Congress leader said.
He urged the government to reconsider its stance, demanding the immediate cancellation of the tenders for offshore mining blocks.
Mr Gandhi was of the view that rigorous scientific studies must be undertaken to assess the environmental as well as socio-economic impact of offshore mining.
His letter comes amid ongoing demonstrations by coastal communities who fear the decision could severely impact marine ecosystems and their way of life.
