VELLORE: Over 500 residents of Kunnithigai village protested the extension of the mining activities in the government sand quarry from Thottalam to their village at the Palar riverbed on Tuesday.
With the villagers protesting, the sand miners, on sensing the tension, stopped mining and left the place with empty tractor-trolleys.
Villagers said that sand mining poses a serious threat to their livelihood with agricultural activities severely affected.
The villagers demanded that miners stop quarrying near their village and objected to future mining prospects as well.
Similar protests have been carrying out over several villages across the river-bed. The villagers have been repeatedly staging protests to resist the illegal mining being carried out.
It may be recalled that a case has been filed against mining in the government sand quarry beyond permissible levels.
The petitioners had also pleaded the court to direct the district administration to close down the sand quarry for the welfare of the farmers and villagers across the riverbed.