The Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has applauded the Central Government’s decision to withdraw a controversial tender notification for the extraction of graphite and other minerals from the Kurinjakulam area in Tenkasi district. The move comes after sustained protests by local farmers and residents, who feared the environmental and social impact of mining activities in the region.
In a social media post, BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai expressed his gratitude to the Centre for heeding the concerns of the public. “On behalf of TN BJP, we welcome the Central Government’s decision to withdraw the tender notification for mining graphite and other minerals from Kurinjakulam and adjacent areas in Tenkasi district,” Annamalai stated. He highlighted that the state BJP unit had played a significant role in urging the Centre to reconsider its decision.
Annamalai further noted that senior BJP leader and lawyer K.S. Radhakrishnan had taken up the issue directly with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, submitting a memorandum that detailed the local opposition to the mining project. The memorandum emphasized the potential harm to agriculture, water resources, and the overall environment, which are crucial to the livelihoods of the residents in the area. The Centre’s subsequent withdrawal of the notification is seen as a direct response to these concerns.
The BJP state president also expressed optimism that the Kurinjakulam site would be permanently excluded from future mining tenders. “We are hopeful that the site’s name will be permanently deleted from the list while issuing fresh tenders for extracting minerals including graphite,” he added.
The withdrawal of the tender comes after mounting pressure from various political and social groups in Tamil Nadu. In December 2023, MDMK headquarters secretary Durai Vaiko had also urged the Union Ministry of Mines to retract the tender, highlighting the potential environmental degradation and displacement of local communities.
The Centre had initially planned to explore and extract graphite from Kurinjakulam, alongside similar projects in Iluppakudi of Sivaganga, Nocchipatti of Krishnagiri district, and other locations in Dharmapuri district. However, the decision to halt the Kurinjakulam project signals a growing recognition of the need to balance development with environmental and social considerations.