Tamil Nadu   

Irregularities alleged in selling and loading of sand

Namakkal: The Namakkal District Sand Lorry Owners Welfare Association has alleged of large-scale irregularities in selling and loading of sand in the Government-run quarries in River Cauvery at Karur and Tiruchi districts.

In a memorandum to the State Chief Secretary, the Association president, Chella. Rasamani, said that officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) and loading contractors had been violating the rules and regulations.

The lorry crew were forced to take more than the government stipulated two units of sand per vehicle. While permits were issued for two units only, the permits for the excess sand units would be issued in an individuals name under the second sales.

As per the Government norms, only 200 lorries per day on an average should be permitted to lift the sand from these quarries. But 400 lorry loads of sand were being transported from these quarries, it charged.

The quarrying timing of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. was being grossly violated. It alleged that PWD officials would insist on cash instead of Demand Drafts for sand from the lorry crew. As the sand lorries were plying from quarries almost round-the-clock, the villagers living on the shore of Cauvery between Thottiyam and Tiruchi and Thottiyam and Namakkal were suffering untold sufferings. Fatal accidents in this sector were frequent, it added. As the lorry owners had to pay more for the sand, they had no other alternative but to pass on the burden on consumers. The Government thus was losing the revenue due to it heavily.

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

Stories in this Section

326 get loans
Meet today
Shops raided
‘Pottramarai’ celebrates second anniversary
Sapling planting drive
Farmers demand water release
‘Expressions of the mind’ concert
Two new films to hit the screen
“Expedite Shencottah-Tenkasi gauge conversion work”
Water released from Lower Coleroon Anicut for irrigation
Wheels of misfortune
Meeting
Kalam coming to Madurai
Pension adalat
Mettur level
The demands: better power supply, safe water and better roads
It’s our internal affair: Jayalalithaa
Ten shops at Kangayam bus stand have no takers
“Entrust custodianship of courier terminal to neutral body”
Kalam comes home to a rousing welcome
Demolition of 5 floors of Pleasant Stay Hotels ordered
Court bars allotment of permanent houses to tsunami victims
Orders on Telgi plea on August 2
“Fill backlog of SC-ST vacancies before recruiting lecturers”
Warrant executed against ‘wanted’ accused in Coimbatore blasts case
Training session aims at toning up image of police
Red sanders seized at harbour, one held
Experts for socially inclusive technology development
Work on additional power unit at Ennore to begin by year-end
Carnatic musician S.V. Parthasarathy dead
Vision document being readied for textile sector
High Court declines to stay process of SI recruitment
Efforts on to promote micro enterprises
‘Charge only half fare for children in buses’
Panther sighted on TEL premises, Forest Department help sought
Magazine devoted to yoga launched
Family counsellors appointed
‘Agriculture needs heavy investment’
SRI technique to be adopted in 5,000 hectares of paddy
New status
Irregularities alleged in selling and loading of sand
This road will take you to the other world
Washermen back to work as water level recedes in Cauvery
Correction
Search on for doctor
Thousands attend church festival
‘Precision farming’ pays off in Nellai district
Bank gesture to poor students

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu