VELLORE | Aug 22, 2016: Residents of the Veerankuppam panchayat on Monday staged a demonstration on the Palar Riverbed demanding the closure of a government-approved sand quarry for bullock carts.
The villagers put up notice boards on the bank displaying the resolution adopted by the local body banning sand-mining from the river.
The villagers gathered near the river in protest against the quarry which was opened a month ago for bullock carts in the part of the river coursing through the panchayat.
Panchayat president K Krishnamoorthy and the councillors said the panchayat had adopted a resolution on August 15 against sand-mining, effective August 17.
The resolution was apassed unanimously under provisions 10, 133, and 134 of the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act 1994 to protect irrigation tanks, water bodies, and the natural resources of the panchayat, he said. However, the quarry continued to function against the local body's decision. Irked by this, the villagers decided to stage a demonstration on Monday.
The panchayat had passed a similar resolution on August 4 too.
The local body passed the resolution after the government permitted operation of a sand quarry on 5.40 hectares of land in survey number 225/2 in the riverbed.
The government permitted mining of 19,081 units of sand from the site.
According to the villagers, the Public Works Department had opened the sand quarry in 2013. The ground water had depleted and it had an adverse impact on agriculture activities in and around the village.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)