MADURAI | Apr 09, 2015: The Madras High Court Bench here on Tuesday sought the reply of Dindigul Collector to a public interest litigation petition alleging widespread illegal sand mining from several rural tanks situated in more than 20 villages in Athoor block.
Justices S. Manikumar and G. Chockalingam directed a government counsel to obtain instructions from the district administration with respect to the PIL petition filed by M. Ravikumar, president of a load men’s association affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions. In his affidavit, the petitioner claimed that Athoor taluk had a population of around 35,000 people, a majority of whom were marginal farmers having about one to 10 acres of agricultural land each.
However, indiscriminate sand mining by local bigwigs from the tanks situated in the taluk had caused severe water crisis in the locality, he alleged, and sand was scooped out to a depth of 12 feet in most of the tanks, using heavy machinery.
According to the petitioner, Senkulam, Kathiriyan Koundankulam, Nadukulam, Pulluvettikanmoi, Karunkulam, Vadikulam, Polasamuthirakulam and Puliyankulam tanks were severely affected, causing damage to the normal water course used for irrigation and drinking purpose.
His counsel R. Venkatesan relied upon a news report published in The Hindu on March 23 and claimed that around 50 to 70 lorry loads of sand was mined from the water tanks on a daily basis.
He urged the court to issue an order restraining such illegal mining activities.
(Source: http://www.thehindu.com/)