COIMBATORE: Red sand worth Rs 373.73 crore was excavated by 177 brick kilns at Thadagam Valley, reveals the report prepared by the special committee, headed by the District Collector GS Sameeran, which assessed the ecological damage caused by illegal kilns. Further, the report, which was submitted to the National Green Tribunal (South Zone) recently, states that Rs 59.32 crore worth of environmental damage was caused in the valley by illegal red sand mining.
Based on the National Green Tribunal (South Zone) order on September 22, 2021, the special committee comprising the Collector, district environmental engineer from Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, a senior officer from state level assessment authority, regional joint director of Geology and Mines and a senior scientist from central pollution control board assessed the volume and worth of excavated red sand and environmental damage in the valley.
The committee submitted its report on July 20 stating that a total of 1,10,77,276 m3 of red sand was illegally mined and transported from patta and poramboke lands from Somayampalayam, Chinnathadagam, Nanjundapuram, Pannimadai and Veerapandi villages. The committee also observed that sand was lifted from streams, river paths at the foothills of Western Ghats and that flow of water was affected.
The committee recommended that the 177 brick kiln unit owners, being the beneficiaries, shall be held responsible for damage. "Compensation of Rs 373.73 crore for illegal quarrying of brick earth and compensation of Rs 59.32 crore for environmental damages may be levied against the brick kiln owners, " the committee recommended. Further, the committee said it did not assess the rate of ground water depletion for want of data on ground water level.
"Based on the field assessment on directly visiting to the place, the report has been made. NGT will decide on it further," said a senior official from TNPCB. Meanwhile, the petitioners from Thadagam Valley Protection Committee alleged that the committee failed to assess the valley completely. They claimed that 556 out of 1058 survey numbers in the five villages were considered for assessment.
The valley comprises of five villages and following widespread opposition against functioning of illegal brick kiln units, the Madras High Court in January 2021 ordered closure of 177 units in the region.