Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Industries Minister P Rajeev on Thursday reaffirmed the state’s strong opposition to the Centre’s decision to permit offshore mineral mining, stating that Kerala had formally raised its objections three times.

Addressing a press conference, Rajeev said the state first conveyed its dissent during the Union Ministry of Mining’s roadshow in Kochi on January 11, where APM Mohammed Haneesh, Principal Secretary of the State Industries Department, presented Kerala’s concerns to Union Mines Secretary Kantha Rao. The state highlighted the environmental and social risks associated with offshore dredging, Rajeev said.

According to the minister, the matter was reiterated at the 64th Central Geological Programming Board meeting in Bhubaneswar on January 19, where the Union Mines Secretary acknowledged Kerala’s stance. Following this, the National Institute of Oceanography was directed to conduct an environmental impact study on offshore mining.

On February 13, the state’s Industries Department sent another letter to the Centre, urging that any bidding process for mineral exploration should proceed only after safeguarding Kerala’s interests.

Rajeev recalled that the Offshore Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act was enacted in 2002 under Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government, followed by the Offshore Areas Minerals (Development and Regulation) (OAMD) Rules in 2010 under the Congress-led UPA. In 2022, the Centre proposed amendments to the Act to facilitate private sector participation and introduce an auction system. Kerala thoroughly reviewed the amendments and maintained its reservations over their environmental implications.

Dismissing reports that the state supports the Centre’s move, Rajeev called such claims misleading and an attempt to undermine Kerala’s resistance to an Act that threatens coastal ecosystems. He also alleged that Congress MPs from Kerala failed to object when the Bill was passed in Parliament.

Meanwhile, a 24-hour coastal hartal led by the Kerala Fisheries Coordination Committee saw full participation from fishermen’s unions across the state. Fishing activities were suspended, affecting ports, fish landing centres, and markets from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram. Public protests and marches were held in various districts, with the strike set to continue until midnight.

The Kerala Fisheries Coordination Committee, comprising multiple trade unions and backed by both the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress, is protesting the Centre’s plan to auction offshore sand blocks in five sectors—Kollam South, Kollam North, Alappuzha, Ponnani, and Chavakkad.

As part of the agitation, a declaration conference was held in Kollam on February 17, and a protest march to Parliament is scheduled for March 12, committee leaders announced.
(With inputs from PTI)