Staff Reporter

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has directed the State Government not to use heavy machinery for quarrying sand along the Tamirabarani riverbed in Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts.

Disposing of a batch of public interest litigation petitions, a Division Bench comprising Justice Dharma Rao Elipe and Justice P.P.S. Janarthana Raja also ordered the Government to strictly follow the measures suggested by an environment expert appointed by the court to study the ecological consequences.

In his report, A.G. Murugesan, senior lecturer, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, said that there were sufficient sand deposits at the sites inspected by him and hence quarrying operations could be allowed to continue.

But it should not affect the flow of the river or the riparian vegetation, he cautioned.

He further said that the depth of quarrying should be restricted to one metre and only a maximum of 75 per cent of the sand deposit could be allowed for quarrying.

The weeds and shrubs removed during the quarrying operation should be disposed of safely so that they would not find a way into the river.

No quarrying operation should be carried out within 50 metres from the riverbank, he said and recommended continuous monitoring of quarrying by environmental scientists or ecologists from a nearby university. Such monitoring was very essential, as it would help in reducing ecological damage and conserving bio-diversity.

He also suggested that the Government might be asked to fund an elaborate study on the ecological impact due to continuous quarrying operations by a few reputed universities.

The study should aim at collecting data on surface and groundwater variations, ecological systems and biodiversity.

It could help in formulating strategies for mitigating the impact of mining, if any, on a long run, he added.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail