CHENNAI: They fear standing in their own fields, especially after dusk. Even their homes no longer feel safe. Villagers of Thammanur in Kancheepuram district allege that a private stone quarry operating nearby carries out blasting three to four times a week without prior warning, sending rock fragments flying into agricultural lands and houses.
The blasts, they say, shake houses, while nearly 500 trucks transporting stone from the quarry every day have worsened dust pollution and traffic congestion on village roads.
The villagers say they submitted a representation to the district administration on June 8 seeking the permanent closure of the quarry. They raised the issue again at the weekly grievance redressal meeting on Monday, but claim no action has been taken.
Advocate P Mathivanan, who represents the villagers, said quarry operations have made farming hazardous. “Rock fragments land in adjoining fields where farmers work and cattle graze.
Blasting is carried out without prior warning, putting lives at risk, particularly during night-time farming,” he said. Farmer Mani alleged that the quarry lacks adequate safety barriers to prevent rock fragments from reaching nearby fields.
However, officials from the Department of Geology and Mining denied the allegations. An official told TNIE that a recent field inspection found the nearest habitation and farmland to be about 900 metres from the quarry, well beyond the mandatory 300-metre safety distance.
“There is no possibility of stones from the quarry reaching houses. However, we have instructed the quarry operator to issue proper warnings before every blasting operation,” the official said.
Mathivanan disputed the department’s findings, saying the villagers have photographic evidence to support their claims. “This is the second time we have submitted a petition. We have photographs showing stones that have hit houses. What the officials are saying is not true,” he said. Kancheepuram Collector D Sneha was unavailable for a comment.