Chennai: The State government would never permit coal/lignite mining in Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery delta districts, Chief Minister M K Stalin told the state Assembly on Wednesday.

Replying to special call attention motions moved by MLAs, Stalin said he too was shocked like others when he came to know about the Centre’s auctioning process for three coal blocks in the delta region of Tamil Nadu.

Stalin said not only in his capacity as Chief Minister but also as a person belonging to the delta region (Tiruvarur district) mining projects would never be allowed in delta districts of Tamil Nadu.

Earlier, Stalin wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urging the Centre to exclude the Delta region from the coal bidding process to protect the interests of the farmers in the region and called it a wasteful exercise as the State government was not consulted.

The Chief Minister’s letter stated, “Delta areas should be excluded from the coal bidding process. No approval was obtained from the State government before issuing the notification in this regard and the State government was not even consulted. Unfortunately, the Union Ministry of Coal is acting arbitrarily. Three mining areas in Tamil Nadu — Sethiathoppu in Cuddalore, Michealpatti in Ariyalur, and Vadaseri in Thanjavur — should be excluded from the auction due to the presence of valuable farmers’ lands and food security of the people.”

“It is also emphasized that the State government should be consulted by concerned ministries of the Union government before issuing such public announcements are issued,” Stalin added.