MADURAI: The soil quarrying issue in Sivarakottai village near Thirumangalam shows no signs of resolution, with farmers repeatedly flagging alleged irregularities in the removal of soil from local irrigation tanks. While officials maintain that quarrying activities are being monitored, villagers claim that norms are being violated by the private contractors.
Farmers have been staging protests and submitting petitions against the quarrying of clay from the Karisal Kulam tank, the primary irrigation source for nearly 127 acres of farmland. The soil is being sourced for bridge construction works under the Highways Department along the Madurai-Kanniyakumari NH.
Despite a series of peace talks held in February, the issue remains unresolved. Farmers allege that the private company has been extracting soil far beyond the permitted limits.
Speaking to TNIE, M Ramalingam, a farmer from the village, said, “Open pits have been filled with loose soil, which could lead to sinkholes during the water flow season. Excess clay is being transported using reused tokens, and several lorries involved do not even carry registration numbers,” he said.
Sivakumar, another villager, urged authorities to intensify monitoring to regulate the quarrying process. Farmers further alleged that excavated soil is being dumped in private patta lands.
Responding to the allegations, a senior official from Kallikudi block said that multiple rounds of talks had been conducted with farmers and stakeholders. Quarrying was permitted only after the private company assured compliance with regulations, the official said. Further, the official added that the work is under close supervision to ensure no adverse impact on the waterbody and assured that awareness measures would be taken to address farmers’ concerns and ease tensions in the area.