In which matter did Congress MP Rahul Gandhi write a letter to PM Modi? Know the whole thing

arun Posted On March 31, 2025

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Rahul Gandhi has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemning the decision of mining off the coast of Kerala, Gujarat and Andaman Nicobar. He said that this decision will have a serious impact on the livelihood of fishermen and marine life is in danger.

Curated by Anubhav Shakya

Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to the Prime Minister opposing mining
Expressed concern over the impact of mining on the livelihood of lakhs of fishermen
Government was asked to cancel the tender and conduct a study

New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In this letter, he has condemned the government’s decision regarding mining off the coast of Kerala, Gujarat and Andaman and Nicobar. Rahul said in the letter that the government should reconsider this decision. Lakhs of fishermen have expressed serious concern about its impact on their livelihood and lifestyle.

Rahul Gandhi raised the issue of offshore mining on the coasts

Rahul Gandhi wrote in his letter, “The decision of the Central Government to allow offshore mining on the coasts of Kerala, Gujarat and Andaman and Nicobar is being opposed. Our coastal communities are protesting how tenders were issued for offshore mining without assessing its impact on the environment. Lakhs of fishermen have expressed serious concern about its impact on their livelihood and lifestyle.”

‘This threatens marine life’

He said, there was also opposition to the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023. People were worried that offshore mining blocks would be given to private companies without any investigation. Studies show that this threatens marine life. Coral reefs may be damaged and fish numbers may decrease. When the Ministry of Mines issued tenders to grant licenses for 13 offshore blocks, protests started. Of these 13 blocks, three are for construction sand mining off the coast of Kollam. This is an important area for fish breeding. Three blocks are for polymetallic nodules off the coast of Great Nicobar Island. This is a marine biodiversity hotspot.

‘People were not consulted before issuing the tender’

He said, no consultation was taken from stakeholders before issuing the tender. Nor was the long-term socio-economic impact on coastal communities assessed. A survey by the Marine Monitoring Lab (MML) of the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries of Kerala University has found that offshore mining can have a bad effect on fish breeding.

‘Lakhs of people will be harmed’

In the letter, Rahul further wrote that more than 11 lakh people in Kerala depend on fishing. This is their traditional occupation and an important part of their lifestyle. Great Nicobar is known for its diverse ecosystem. It is home to many rare species. It may be difficult to compensate for the losses caused by offshore mining. At a time when the impact of natural disasters like cyclones has increased due to erosion of coastal ecosystems, the government is giving green signal to activities without scientific assessment, which is worrying.

Demand to cancel tenders issued for mining blocks

Rahul Gandhi demanded from the government, the government should cancel the tenders issued for offshore mining blocks. Apart from this, scientific studies should be done to assess the environmental and socio-economic impact of offshore mining. The most important thing is that before taking any major decision, all stakeholders, especially fishermen, should be consulted. Their life is connected to the sea. We should work together towards building a better future for all.