Drop hydrocarbon exploration plan in Gulf of Mannar: TN CM

Expressing concern over the Centre's proposal for hydrocarbon exploration and offshore mining in the Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to drop the move given the nature of the fragile ecosystem and biodiversity rich area.

- Press Trust of India

CHENNAI:

Deep sea mining for petroleum and natural gas might cause "irreversible damage to marine habitats and degrade the overall health of the ocean," the chief minister said. In a letter addressed to the prime minister, Stalin sought Modi's intervention in this sensitive issue.

"The risks of sediment plumes, toxic waste discharges and habitat destruction cannot be overstated and it will also affect the livelihood of the lakhs of fishermen who depend on the Gulf of Mannar for their sustenance," he said in the letter.

Any such disruptions caused by mining activities would also make the entire coastal area vulnerable and this has created immense anxiety among the coastal communities, the chief minister said.