New Delhi, Mar 29 (Reporter) Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday condemned the permission granted for offshore mining along the coast of Kerala, Gujarat and Andaman and Nicobar by the government and urged the tenders be cancelled. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi said, "The coastal communities have been protesting against the manner in which tenders for offshore mining have been floated without evaluating its environmental impact." He alleged that opening up offshore mining blocks to private players without any rigorous assessment of its impact was concerning. He said that the ongoing survey of Marine Monitoring Lab (MML) of the University of Kerala found that offshore mining could have a devastating impact on fish breeding especially in Kollam. He said that more than 11 lakh people are dependent on fishing in Kerala and this is their traditional occupation. Greater Nicobar is known for its diverse ecosystems and is home to several endemic species of wildlife and any damage due to offshore mining could potentially do irreparable damage. He wrote, "At a juncture where erosion of our coastal ecosystems has worsened, the impact of natural calamities like cyclones, it is concerning that the government is wilfully greenlighting activities without a scientific assessment." "I strongly urge the government to cancel the tenders issued for the offshore mining blocks," he added. Rahul Gandhi also urged the government to consult all stakeholders including the fisherfolk before any major decision is taken...////...