KANNIYAKUMARI: Congress MLAs and builders urged the district authorities to allow small load vehicles transporting rock minerals round the clock inside the district.
Killiyoor Congress MLA S Rajesh Kumar said that police authorities were preventing mini load vehicles with under six tyres round the clock, which transport rock minerals within the district for construction activities.
The state government should take a policy decision in preventing rock minerals from being transported to Kerala in multi-wheeler very-heavy vehicles from the district, and allow mini load vehicles with under six tyres inside, he said.
"As there were contradictions among departments regarding the issual of pass, in which there is confusion regarding the mention of the weight of rock minerals, the concerned government departments should come up with clear guidelines for fixing the weight limit in mini load vehicles," he added.
Vilavancode Congress MLA Tharahai Cuthbert said she opposed taking rock minerals from Kanniyakumari to Kerala. However, authorities should allow rock minerals to be transported inside the district for construction activities without time restrictions in small load vehicles, such as tempos.
The MLA added that to prevent the increase in price of rock minerals, authorities should allow minerals as mandated by the mines department in the vehicles.
Echoing the MLAs, a functionary associated with a builders' association J Jone, said, the government should not allow rock minerals to be transported from the district to Kerala, as the district needs 10,000 units of minerals daily. Hence, passes should be given only for transporting rock minerals within the district. If we continue sending minerals to Kerala, the district's resources would deplete, he said.
When contacted by TNIE, a top district official said there was no such time restrictions for the operation of small load vehicles. Police sources said the vehicles should follow the weight limit fixed by the government.