Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

PIL against exporting sand to Maldives

MADURAI: A public interest litigation petition has been filed in the Madras High Court Bench here to prevent export of sand, quarried along the riverbeds in the State, to Maldives or any other country through the Tuticorin Port. A Division Bench comprising Justice Prafulla Kumar Misra and Justice M. Jaichandren on Thursday ordered to issue notices to the Tuticorin Collector, Director of Geology and Mining and the Port Trust Chairman returnable by two weeks.

Arguing the case in person, in view of lawyers’ strike in support of Tamils in Sri Lanka, V. Sundaresan (55) of Umarikadu in Srivaikuntam Taluk of Tuticorin district said that huge quantity of sand mined illegally was being exported out of the country.

He claimed that queries posed by him under Right to Information Act and the replies received from Commissioner of Customs and the Port Trust Chairman confirmed export of the minor mineral in ships through the Tuticorin port.

“I submit that the quantity of river sand exported is more than the quantity quarried and sold by the Public Works Department (in the domestic market). It proves the illegal quarrying of river sand,” the petitioner’s affidavit read.

He also recalled that a Government Order was issued on August 25, 2008 directing all Collectors to incorporate a condition in their orders, permitting PWD to establish new sand quarries, that the mineral should not be transported outside the State.

Necessary amendments were also made to Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959 by inserting a new provision ‘38B’ in consonance with the G.O. Still, several tonnes of sand were sent to neighbouring States and countries, he said.

“I made several representations to the Collector to prevent such illegal transport of river sand. But no action has been taken so far… The Respondent officials are inactive due to local political pressures,” the petitioner alleged.

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