TIRUPPUR: A 55-year-old farmer launched a hunger strike seeking the closure of a stone quarry in Kangeyam in Tiruppur on Sunday.
According to sources, K Sivasamy, a resident of Karaikattuthottam in Kangeyam, had a farm in Ramapattinam village in Sivanmalai. A stone quarry has been operating in the area for the past several years despite the opposition of local farmers and residents. The quarry is situated within 300 metres of residential area and farmlands.
Sivasamy claimed that dust from the quarry had formed a layer of sand on his coconut saplings and destroyed it. He alleged that despite several complaints, no action was taken towards this and he decided to launch a hunger strike.
Farmers said the quarry workers use explosives around the clock without following the norms. Besides, the quarry exploited the resources by quarrying beyond the permissible limit.