Kerala opposes Centre's deep-sea mining plan

The Kerala Government is firmly opposing the central government's plan for deep-sea mineral mining along its coast. On Tuesday, Excise Minister M B Rajesh reiterated this stance in the state Assembly, confirming there is no confusion about their position. The state government has been against offshore mineral mining since the Centre proposed to change the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act of 2002. Rajesh highlighted that despite the state's objections, the central government has continued with its amendment plans. Kerala has expressed concerns about environmental and financial impacts from deep-sea mining. The government even sent a letter to the union mining secretary in February, asking for the project to be abandoned entirely. They also passed a resolution urging the central government to withdraw its approval for mining off the coast. Rajesh criticized a local legislator for drawing comparisons between deep-sea mining and the state’s initiative to remove excess sand from rivers. He explained that deep-sea mining could harm the marine environment and affect the livelihoods of fishing communities, while removing sand is essential for flood prevention.