TENKASI: A worker in a stone quarry died of head injuries after he fell into a quarry pit at Pattakurichi in Tenkasi on Monday. Soon after the worker, Paramasivan, died, a team of officials including revenue divisional officer of Tenkasi, Gangadevi, DSP Manimaran and officials from mining department conducted an inquiry. The officials were informed that Paramasivan was not provided with protective gear including a helmet.
District Collector P Akash said that the team did not find any violations by the quarry owner and confirmed that the death of Paramasivan was due to the fall. Sources said quarry authorities agreed to disburse Rs 32 lakh as compensation to Paramasivan’s family.
“After the workers carried out blasts using explosives, Paramasivan was involved in removal of boulders. At that time, a boulder fell from the top and pushed him into a 30-feet-deep pit, after which he sustained head injury. His body has been accepted by his family members after postmortem,” said a police official. The Tenkasi police registered a case under section 174 (accidental fall) of the Indian Penal Code.
Former MLA K Raviarunan, leading the protest against erring stone quarries, demanded Rs 50 lakh compensation to the family members of the deceased and the State government to inspect all the stone quarries in the district. “The accident has taken place as the Pattakurichi quarry did not take any safety measures for its workers. After the accident at Adaimithipankulam three months back, all quarries in Tirunelveli were inspected and imposed a total fine of Rs 300 crore. Our demand to inspect quarries in Tenkasi was not accepted,” he said.