Scrap atomic mineral mining plan, shut IREL Kumari plant

THE Movement Against Atomic Minerals Mining has urged the Tamil Nadu Assembly to pass a resolution to permanently shut IREL (India) Ltd's Manavalakurichi plant and scrap the proposed atomic mineral mining plan in Killiyoor taluk of Kanniyakumari, similar to the resolution passed against tungsten mining in Madurai.

- M ABDUL RABI @Kanniyakumari

Sources said IREL (formerly India Rare Earths Limited) is the only unit in the state in operation since the 1960s, and harnesses monazite and zircon, and other associate minerals. IREL was authorized to provide the requisite strategic materials i.e. zircon and monazite for the country's atomic energy programme. In 2015, the Department of Atomic Energy had sought the state government's nod to reserve 1,144.06 ha of monazite-rich land in Kanniyakumari to mine atomic minerals. The Ministry of Mines in 2021 issued a notification to reserve the said land, located in Keezhmidalam-A, Midalam-B, Enayamputhenthu