Tamil Nadu to study beach sand mining panel report

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Tuesday said the government would take a policy decision on the beach sand mineral mining in the state after studying the report of special committee appointed to survey the mines.

The beach sand minerals include garnet, ilmenite and rutile.

The government appointed a special team headed by Gagandeep Singh Bedi, secretary, Department of Revenue, to survey the beach sand mineral mines in Tuticorin, while mining was stopped there.

The team submitted its report Sep 19 and it is under the government's consideration, Jayalalithaa replied to a question raised by DMDK member R. Mohan Raj in the assembly Tuesday.

Subsequently, the same team was assigned the task of surveying the 71 mines allotted to private parties in Tirunelveli, Madurai, Kanyakumari and Tiruchirapalli districts and the report is awaited.

The mining has been banned in these places as well, Jayalalithaa said.