VILLUPURAM: Over 40 villagers, including woman and children, were detained by the police after they protested against the government order that allowed a red sand quarry to function in Thalakani Kuppam under Vanur taluk, on Friday. Clashes between the locals and police broke out days before the inauguration of the quarry, scheduled to be held on August 10.
"The villagers had opposed the quarry since 2022 and had expected the district administration to revert permissions for the quarry, but no action was taken. Instead, we were arrested today," said S Manimekalai (45). Locals opposed the quarry citing environmental concerns, according to a petition submitted to the district collector in February, this year. The document said that about 10 acres of poramboke land in the village was given to a private firm to set up the red sand quarry. Locals, however, argued that it fell in the way of a government school, fair price shop, and a temple, and could jeopardise lives.
"Moreover, it would ruin the groundwater in the village. Right now, our village's water is better than purified water. Locals from nearby villages come here to fetch drinking water. If the quarry comes, our natural resources will be gone," said K Kalaiarasi (40). Despite assurances from the collector, nothing happened, sources said. As a result, locals staged a protest on Wednesday and Thursday.
"The collector did not meet us when we protested outside the collectorate in the last two days. The police asked us to go home and fight the issue at Court. So, we staged a protest in our village and attempted to stop the earth movers from entering the quarry area, on Friday," said another villager.
According to the police, about 200 residents, including children, went against the GO and protested against the quarry, on Friday morning. Despite multiple warnings, the people refused to retreat and instead created a commotion. We had detain them by force, said police sources. Superintendent of Police S Shashank Sai told TNIE that people were detained to prevent them from hindering works on the quarry.
S Jayalakshmi, another local alleged that the police pulled at their clothes. "The police pulled at the clothes of women, used derogatory language against girl children, and even beat up some men before taking them in custody. One woman was injured in her hips and had to be taken to hospital," she said. All 40 detainees were released later in the evening.
When contacted, Collector C Palani told TNIE, "The quarry company has all legal provisions to mine the sand quarry. There is nothing unlawful about the mine and we had also informed the people that the quarry will not disturb their lives. But they are not ready to accept it, and we can do nothing about stopping the quarry."