KeralaIndustries Minister refuses to end sand mining

A day after chief minister PinarayiVijayan took the initiative to hold talks with the agitating residents of Alappad, industries minister E P Jayarajan on Sunday refused the protesters’ demand for stopping the mining, a pre-condition for attending the proposed January 16 dialogue. The minister also challenged the allegation that much land has been lost because of mining. “There are no reports saying that land is being lost due to mining in these regions. Land was lost during the tsunami,” he told a news conference here. Kollam was one of the worst tsunami-affected districts in 2004. Alleging that some vested interests were behind the agitation against mining, Jayarajam opined that a probe was required in the controversy. The minister said that people from Malappuram are behind the agitation. A probe has to be undertaken to ascertain whether the agitation is stage-managed.