VILLUPURAM: Two workers were killed in a landslip at a stone quarry near Mailam on Thursday morning. Police arrested two, including the safety manager of the quarry, in the incident.
According to sources, the 3.18-hectare quarry, Dilip Buildcon Limited (DBL), at Perumpakkam village near Mailam employs nearly 150 workers for stone breaking and crushing works.
On Thursday morning, A Ayyanar (35) of Tiruvakkarai and A Selvaraj (25) of Jalagandapuram in Salem district were digging in the bottom of a 200-foot depth quarrying area to place the explosives for a blast, when the sand and stone slid over them.
Though other workers recovered them from the debris, the duo had already succumbed to their injuries. Upon information, police personnel from Mailam rushed to the spot.
However, villages and relatives of the deceased refused to allow police to take the bodies for postmortem, demanding compensation. Following this, Tindivanam sub-division deputy superintendent of police, Suresh Pandiyan, convened a meeting between village representatives, deceased relatives, and quarry management in the presence of the DSP.
As the quarry management agreed to provide Rs 20 lakh as compensation for each victim, along with Rs 1 lakh rupees separately for funeral expenses, the bodies were sent to the Government Medical College Hospital in Mundiyampakkam for autopsy.
Mailam police filed a case in the incident. Similarly, revenue department officials are conducting an investigation. An official from the Tindivanam sub-division confirmed the arrest of two individuals, including the safety manager of the quarry. A probe is on.
Meanwhile, residents of Perumpakkam village expressed concerns about the lack of safety in quarries operating in their village and nearby areas. With nearly a hundred quarries functioning in the vicinity, many fail to adhere to government norms.
“Quarry management enjoys political support, due to which officials hesitate in taking action against any malfunctions. They don’t even conduct regular inspections to ensure the safety of labourers and compliance with permitted quarrying levels,” said a resident from Perumpakkam. Villupuram collector C Palani was unavailable for a comment.