TENKASI/TIRUNELVELI: Residents of Anainthaperumalnadanoor panchayat condemned the fourth stone quarry that has been proposed to be set up in their area, during a public hearing chaired by Sankarankovil Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) Subbulakshmi and District Environmental Engineer Suyambu Thangarani on Friday.
The residents said they were facing various issues, including environmental pollution and groundwater depletion due to the works at the existing quarries. "There are two quarries actively functioning in our area while the officials concerned gave permission to set up a third quarry last year. Now, permission for a fourth quarry has been sought.
We have already lost our pastures to these quarries. Since the groundwater level has dwindled to a depth of 300 feet, many farmers have given up cultivation. Some farmers have been arranging water through tanker lorries by pledging their ornaments to save their lemon crops. Despite this, the dust emanating from the two stone quarries has led to the withering of our crops," the residents added.
"The residents have been facing various health issues. The site where the fourth quarry has been proposed to be set up is categorised by the government as farmland. The existing quarries violated various guidelines of the Supreme Court. The state government did not consider our resolutions passed on January 26 against the stone quarries," said advocate S K Mylavan.
Another resident said the blasting done at the existing quarries caused damage to their houses. "The mineral-laden trucks overload minerals against the recent High Court order, leading to damaged village roads, and making our area an accident-prone zone," the resident alleged. The RDO assured them that she would bring their concerns to the state government.
Erukkandurai residents want action against 12 stone quarries
The Erukkandurai villagers petitioned the Radhapuram taluk administration on Thursday. demanding legal against 12 stone quarries functioning in their panchayat.
"Radhapuram taluk has 22 stone quarries, of which 12 are functioning in our panchayat with the crusher unit. In violation of the rules of the mines department, all these quarries have been functioning round the clock. About 2,500 trucks pass through our village daily. We submitted a list of 167 vehicles, which passed through our village in just one-and-a-half hours on August 14. Against the High Court order, these trucks carry more than 28,000 kg of minerals. The district administration should take legal action against these quarries and divert them through the alternate roads," the residents, led by advocate Dhanasekaran, told the media persons.