<p>Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government on Tuesday made it clear that it would continue to oppose the Centre's decision to allow deep-sea mineral mining off the state's coast and said there is no confusion in its stand on the matter.</p>.<p>While replying to a question in the state Assembly, Excise Minister M B Rajesh said the LDF government has been expressing its strong objection to the offshore mineral mining ever since the union government had planned to amend the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002.</p>.Kerala fishermen up in arms against deep-sea mining proposal off Kollam coast.<p>He was replying on behalf of Industries and Law Minister P Rajeeve.</p>.<p>Though the state continued to raise it's objection against it, the Centre had gone ahead with its amendment plan, he said.</p>.<p>Even after that, Kerala requested the Centre to safeguard the state's interests against various environmental and financial issues that offshore deep-sea mining would trigger, the minister added.</p>.<p>"The state government sent a letter to the union mining secretary in February this year demanding to abandon the deep-sea mining project completely. Finally, we passed a resolution also urging the central government to withdraw its decision to allow mining off the state's coast," he said.</p>.<p>Rajesh said thus the state government has raised all kinds of objections and there is no confusion in its stand towards the Centre's off-shore mining plans.</p>.<p>He also criticised legislator Kurukkoli Moideen (IUML) for raising a question comparing the Centre's off-shore mineral mining plans with the state government's decision to remove accumulated sand from rivers and other water bodies.</p>.<p>Deep-sea mining would destroy the environmental equilibrium in the sea and adversely impact the livelihood of fisherfolk, he said.</p>.<p>But, the removal of excess sand from rivers is needed to prevent floods and other such natural calamities, the minister added.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government on Tuesday made it clear that it would continue to oppose the Centre's decision to allow deep-sea mineral mining off the state's coast and said there is no confusion in its stand on the matter.</p>.<p>While replying to a question in the state Assembly, Excise Minister M B Rajesh said the LDF government has been expressing its strong objection to the offshore mineral mining ever since the union government had planned to amend the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002.</p>.Kerala fishermen up in arms against deep-sea mining proposal off Kollam coast.<p>He was replying on behalf of Industries and Law Minister P Rajeeve.</p>.<p>Though the state continued to raise it's objection against it, the Centre had gone ahead with its amendment plan, he said.</p>.<p>Even after that, Kerala requested the Centre to safeguard the state's interests against various environmental and financial issues that offshore deep-sea mining would trigger, the minister added.</p>.<p>"The state government sent a letter to the union mining secretary in February this year demanding to abandon the deep-sea mining project completely. Finally, we passed a resolution also urging the central government to withdraw its decision to allow mining off the state's coast," he said.</p>.<p>Rajesh said thus the state government has raised all kinds of objections and there is no confusion in its stand towards the Centre's off-shore mining plans.</p>.<p>He also criticised legislator Kurukkoli Moideen (IUML) for raising a question comparing the Centre's off-shore mineral mining plans with the state government's decision to remove accumulated sand from rivers and other water bodies.</p>.<p>Deep-sea mining would destroy the environmental equilibrium in the sea and adversely impact the livelihood of fisherfolk, he said.</p>.<p>But, the removal of excess sand from rivers is needed to prevent floods and other such natural calamities, the minister added.</p>