CHENNAI | March 12, 2015: All necessary steps have already been taken to regulate and streamline mining of sand in the State, Government Pleader STS Moorthy told the first bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday.
The submission was in response to a PIL from M Loganathan, Co-ordinator of the Federation for Sustainable Development in Coimbatore, praying, among other things, to form committees under the chairmanship of respective District Collectors to identify sand quarries in rivers and riverbeds in the State and to recommend quarrying only in such selected places according to the public need.
When the matter came up before the bench of Chief Justice SK Kaul and Justice MM Sundresh today, Moorthy submitted that a mechanism is already in place so that the quarrying is permitted according to the needs of the public. Rules have already been in force with regard to the other prayers. Rule 38A of the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules is followed to prohibit transportation of sand, covered under Rule 38, across the border to other States. Relevant instruction on this behalf have already been issued by the Chief Secretary to various authorities in terms of a GO dated February 11, 2011, he added.
In view of this, the bench noted that the plea accordingly stands disposed of.
(Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/)