Centre Defends Exemption For Strategic Mineral Mining Projects

05 Dec 2025 CW Team

The Centre said on Monday (1 December 2025) that it has received a letter from the Tamil Nadu Government opposing the exemption granted to projects involving the mining of critical, strategic and atomic minerals from public consultation requirements.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said Tamil Nadu’s letter, dated 12 September, requested withdrawal of the office memorandum issued on 8 September, which exempted such mining projects from public consultation under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006.

The Minister stated that the communication from Tamil Nadu was examined in detail. The Environment Ministry informed the State Government that the exemption had been issued under an existing provision in Clause 7(III)(i)(f) of the EIA Notification, which permits waivers for projects related to national defence, security or other strategic considerations.

The Ministry clarified that the exemption is tied to the national importance of critical, strategic and atomic minerals, which are essential for India’s energy transition, defence preparedness, space research and nuclear power programme.

It emphasised that the exemption would not compromise environmental, social, health or livelihood safeguards. These concerns, the Minister said, will continue to be addressed through existing EIA mechanisms, including environment management plans, expert committee appraisal and post-clearance monitoring.

Singh added that no amendment to the EIA Notification was required, since the exemption already exists within the 2006 framework.

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