The CPM state secretariat on Friday rejected party veteran VS Achuthanandan's demand for a ban on mineral sand mining at Alappad and backed Industries Minister EP Jayarajan.
The secretariat today said putting an end to sand mining would mean stifling Indian Rare Earth which along with Kerala Minerals and Metals was involved with the mining.
At a meeting with the protestors, who have been on agitation for the last 79 days, Jayarajan said sea washing or surface mining would be done away with for a month by when the report of the study by Centre for Earth Science Studies would be completed.
Villagers in Alappad have demanded a ban on mining as it was eating into their land. Five decades ago when mining started, the litho map of Alappad village showed 89.5 sqkm which in 2017 shrunk to 8 sqkm.