Rahul Gandhi writes to PM, seeks tenders' cancellation for offshore mining

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Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking cancellation of tenders permitting offshore mining along the coast of Kerala, Gujarat, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Flagging the threat to marine life, the Congress leader said opening up offshore mining blocks to private players without any rigorous assessment of its impact was concerning.

"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 said in his letter to the prime minister.

Gandhi said coastal communities have been protesting against the manner in which tenders for offshore mining have been floated without evaluating its environmental impact.

Millions of fisherfolk have expressed grave concerns about its impact on their livelihood and way of life, he said.

"I wrote to PM Modi to condemn the permission granted for offshore mining in Kerala, Gujarat, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands without consulting local stakeholders or conducting environmental studies.

"Offshore mining will impact the livelihoods of millions of fisherfolk and irreversibly damage our diverse marine life. The government must immediately revoke this decision," Gandhi said on his WhatsApp channel.

The Congress leader said the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 was met with strong objections.

Opening up offshore mining blocks to private players without any rigorous assessment of its impact was concerning, he said, noting that studies point to its adverse impacts, including threats to marine life, damage to coral reefs and the depletion of fish stock.

In this backdrop, when the Ministry of Mines invited tenders for grant of license for 13 offshore blocks, protests erupted against this move.

Gandhi said among the 13 blocks are three blocks for mining construction sand in 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.

The former Congress chief claimed that tenders were floated without any consultation with the stakeholders or an assessment of the long term socio-economic impact on coastal communities.

He also claimed that the ongoing survey of the Marine Monitoring Lab (MML) of the University of Kerala's Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries found that offshore mining could have a devastating impact on fish breeding, especially in Kollam.

Noting that over 11 lakh people rely on fishing in Kerala, he said any major this is their traditional occupation and is closely tied to their way of life.

Great Nicobar is globally recognised for harbouring diverse ecosystems and is home to several endemic species of wildlife.

"Any damage due to offshore mining could potentially do irreparable damage. At a juncture where erosion of our coastal ecosystems have worsened the impact of natural calamities like cyclones, it is concerning that the government is wilfully greenlighting activities without a scientific assessment," he asserted.

"In this backdrop, I strongly urge the government to cancel the tenders issued for the offshore mining blocks," Gandhi said.

Furthermore, he called for rigorous scientific studies to assess the environmental, as well as socio-economic impact of offshore mining.

But most importantly, he said, all stakeholders, especially our fisherfolk must be consulted before any major decision is taken.

"Their lives are intertwined with the fate of our oceans. Let us work collectively towards building a sustainable future for all," Gandhi told the PM in his letter dated March 25. The letter was shared by him on Sunday.