Cannot allow deep-sea mining at any cost, says Kerala Govt

Thrivuvananthapuram: The Left government in Kerala on Tuesday made it clear that the Centre's move to initiate deep-sea mining along the state's coast cannot be allowed at any cost and the concern of the state's fishermen community in this regard has already been conveyed to the union government.

Both the criteria in the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002, and the amendments



made to it last year were not in accordance with the interests of states, it said.

State Fisheries Minister Saji Cheriyan told the state Assembly that the LDF government stands strong with the fishermen community in the matter and urges the opposition Congress-led UDF join the agitation against the proposed deep-sea mining, shedding their political differences.