The Centre on Monday (November 1, 2025) said it has received a letter from the Tamil Nadu Government opposing the exemption granted to projects involving mining of critical, strategic and atomic minerals from public consultation.
It also said, “The exemption will not compromise environmental, social, health, and livelihood concerns.” In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Environment, Kirti Vardhan Singh, said the letter dated September 12 requested the withdrawal of the office memorandum issued on September 8.
The memorandum exempted these mining projects from the requirement of public consultation under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006.
The Minister said the communication from Tamil Nadu was examined in detail. The Environment Ministry informed the State Government that the exemption was issued under an already existing provision of the EIA Notification, Clause 7(III)(i)(f), which allows projects relating to national defence, security or other strategic considerations to be exempted from public consultation.
No Central nod for private participation in mining of atomic minerals, clarifies ministry
