BJP MLAs of Odisha on Thursday requested chief minister Mohan Majhi to reconsider the controversial 211% hike in MLAs' salaries and allowances, acknowledging the need to respect popular sentiment over a decision that has made the state's lawmakers the highest-paid in the country
LS: Tamil Nadu objects to Centre’s exemption of public hearings for critical mineral mining
The Tamil Nadu government has objected to an office memorandum from the Union environment ministry exempting mining of critical, strategic and atomic minerals from public consultation under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, the ministry informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.
HT had reported on October 1 that after a decision to fast-track environmental and forest clearances for critical minerals, all mining projects of atomic minerals and critical and strategic minerals listed in the first schedule (parts B and D) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act will be exempt from public hearings.
“The ministry had received a letter dated September 12, 2025, wherein the state government of Tamil Nadu had requested withdrawal of the OM dated 08.09.2025. The communication was examined in detail, and the ministry clarified the background related to national defence, security and strategic aspects, and the existing provision in EIA Notification exempting public consultation for such projects. It was further clarified that this exemption due to strategic and security implications will not compromise environmental, social, health and livelihood concerns, which will continue to be addressed through the existing EIA mechanism comprising EIA, Environment Management Plan (EMP), appraisal by expert committee, and post-clearance monitoring,” minister of state for environment Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Lok Sabha.
He responded to queries from DMK MPs Ganapathi P Rajkumar and Thanga Tamil Selvan, and AITC MP Bapi Halder, on whether the central government issued a notification exempting atomic mineral mining without state and public consultation, countering cooperative federalism and democratic ethos; and whether it received Tamil Nadu's September 12 letter opposing the exemption and urging the Prime Minister to withdraw the memorandum, as significant policy changes require transparent deliberation in Parliament and state legislatures with state and public consultation.
The ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) issued an office memorandum dated 8 September 2025 on fast-tracking projects involving mining of critical/strategic and atomic minerals, exempting them from public consultation under EIA Notification, 2006. The OM invoked clause 7(III)(i)(f) of the EIA Notification, exempting projects for national defence, security or strategic considerations, given the importance of these minerals for India's energy transition, defence, space research and nuclear power, the ministry said.
“No amendment of EIA notification was required, as clause 7(III)(i)(f) already exempts such projects from public consultation. The OM dated 08.09.2025 was issued under these provisions of EIA Notification, 2006, as amended,” Singh said.
Source: HindustanTimes
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BJP MLAs of Odisha on Thursday requested chief minister Mohan Majhi to reconsider the controversial 211% hike in MLAs' salaries and allowances, acknowledging the need to respect popular sentiment over a decision that has made the state's lawmakers the highest-paid in the country
2 months ago
