5 months ago
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Villagers of Iluppaikudi and adjacent areas staged a protestation adjacent Thirupuvanam present connected Monday opposing the extraction of graphite by a backstage company.
They alleged that the constitution of the works would severely interaction cultivation lands and section irrigation tanks successful their areas.
The villagers elaborated that the nationalist mineral experts antecedently identified graphite reserves of 3 lakh tonnes to 5 lakh tonnes spanning 25 sq. km from Komalipatti to Poovanthi adjacent Sivaganga.
Consequently, the State-owned Tamil Nadu Minerals Limited (TAMIN) acquired 900 acres of onshore successful 1971, and the graphite works has been operational since 1994.
As graphite is simply a captious mineral utilized successful the manufacturing of pencils and lubricants, crucibles for melting metals similar golden and iron, heat-resistant components for rockets and aircraft, the graphite extracted determination was presently procured by companies from respective different States.
Despite section residents’ complaints that the existing works has damaged adjacent lakes and farmlands, 236 hectares were acquired 8 years agone for enlargement amid stiff resistance, the villagers added.
“Recently, we learned that a declaration was awarded successful November 2023 to a backstage entity for graphite extraction. It is said that 633.5 hectares of onshore crossed Kumarapatti, Arasanur, and Iluppakudi are slated for acquisition,” alleged husbandman Jyothiramalingam of Iluppakudi.
“Our portion has already mislaid 500 acres to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and 775 acres for the Arasanur SIPCOT. Now, they mean to springiness distant much than 1,500 acres for backstage graphite mining. The existing works successful Komalipatti has already ruined section lakes and lands. If this continues successful our area, 10 irrigation tanks and 3,000 acres of farmland volition beryllium destroyed,” helium argued.
Both the Centre and State authorities indispensable driblet the program to let backstage mining, helium demanded.
A Revenue Department authoritative stated: “Only survey enactment was antecedently conducted to place the beingness of graphite successful those areas. No steps person been taken toward the constitution of a backstage plant.”
