Chennai: Minerals were not transported to Kerala from Kankumumari District, Minister of Fine and Water Resources S Duraimurugan said in the Tamil Nadu assembly on Tuesday.
The minister said the government would take all possible steps to preserve the sensitivity of the district environment.
Duraimurugan replied to Collachel MLA J G Prince’s request to the government to stop the mineral transportation from Kankumumari Regency to Kerala State.
Duraimurugan said the government was very aware that Kanyakumari was an economic district.
The government has made efforts, maintaining the fragile ecology.
Therefore, the government closed 12 output 15 in the district.
“Now mineral transportation to Kerala comes from Tuticorin and Tirunelveli District,” he said.
Citing the command of the Supreme Court, the minister said there was no ban on mining transportation to neighboring countries.
Kanyakumari’s biological rich in natural resources with 48.9% of agricultural land and 32.57% of forest land.
From here, mining has been carried out in Western Ghat for several years and minerals mined by Kerala, despite continuous protests from the people, said Prince Congress while participating in debate about demands for mineral grants and departments.