The Hindu : Kerala News : Mineral mining: Antony criticises Industries Department's action

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Thursday, Sep 23, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Mineral mining: Antony criticises Industries Department's action

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, SEPT. 22. The former Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, today criticised the Industries Department's action in processing the mineral sand mining project without the knowledge of the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, and reopening a project that had been abandoned by his Government owing to its controversial nature.

Speaking at the KPCC executive meeting, Mr. Antony said that he had chosen the party forum to express his views only because he did not want to embarrass the Government on this issue. "The decision on the mineral sand mining project should not be at the expense of my Government. The UDF had taken a decision to go in for joint ventures in mineral sand mining. On the basis of this, the Cabinet had formulated a policy.

However, in the light of the subsequent public protest, it was decided to drop the project proposals. Since then, a new Government has taken over, with a new set of Ministers," he said questioning the propriety of reviving the project without the knowledge of the Chief Minister.

In his speech, Mr. Chandy said that his Government was not responsible for the decision on promoting joint ventures in the mineral sand mining sector. However, his Government did not wish to indefinitely postpone a decision on this in view of the dispute, he said.

The former MP, V.M. Sudheeran, said that the decision to stall the project was most welcome and would bring relief to the local people who had been on an agitational course. He said the study conducted by the Industries Department was a farce. He also questioned the claims of the department that it had conducted a second study by an expert committee.

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