Kerala Offshore Mining Protest: Kollam Parappu Blocks
Why in the news
Kerala’s coastal people intensified their campaign against seabed mining. A Kerala Fisheries Coordination Committee now leads them, and a march to Parliament was set for 12 March.
Key facts
- Trigger: the 2023 amendment to the Offshore Areas Mineral Act, which let private players in.
- Surveys found roughly 745 million tonnes of construction sand off Kerala.
- Kerala block location: Kollam Parappu (Quilon Bank), used by traditional and mechanised fishers.
| Tranche 1 mineral | Blocks | Off the coast of |
|---|---|---|
| Construction sand | 3 | Kerala |
| Lime mud | 3 | Gujarat |
| Polymetallic nodules | 7 | Great Nicobar Island |
Concerns
- Habitat damage, falling fish stocks and lost biodiversity.
- Shrinking fishing grounds may push boats inshore and inflame clashes between traditional and mechanised fishers.
- A University of Kerala study warned sediment plumes would raise turbidity and hurt food chains and spawning grounds; washing sand also uses much freshwater.
- Marine systems have no clear borders, so the full impact is unpredictable, with risks of food insecurity and income loss.
Demands
- MP N.K. Premachandran sought a Right to the Sea Act to protect coastal communities.
- He asked whether an EIA, a social impact study and community consultation had been done, calling the Centre’s approach unilateral and opaque.
- Kerala’s government and fishers want mining stopped until a full environmental study is complete.
Exam angle
- Law: Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002.
- Proposed: Right to the Sea Act.