MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court recently directed the collectors of 14 districts falling under its jurisdiction to take immediate steps to fence abandoned quarries with the help of the green funds available with them, within three months. A bench of justices N Sathish Kumar and M Jothiraman directed the collectors to file a report indicating the nature and quantum of the amounts collected from leaseholders as seigniorage fee towards the green fund, along with a list of the abandoned quarries.
The bench passed the order on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by advocate R Sathiamoorthy, who is also the executive trustee of the Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns of Madurai.
The petitioner alleged that there have been frequent tragic accident in the mines and quarries in the state. Despite severity and recurrence of the accidents, no preventive measures have been taken. The Tamil Nadu Mines and Mineral Concession Rules, 1959, as amended envisages the insertion of Section IV-A that provides the constitution of a reclamation, restoration and rehabilitation committee and also creation of green fund for the better maintenance of abandoned mines and quarries. Additionally, if minerals are transported outside the state, contribution of the green fund shall be 20% of seigniorage fee.