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Collector K. M. Sarayu with DIG Salem Zone E. S. Uma inspecting various quarries in compliance with the Madras High Court order in Krishnagiri.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Special teams will be formed to continuously monitor quarries for excessive and illegal mining, levying penalties, and filing criminal charges. This initiative follows a review meeting after inspections carried out in various quarries in compliance with the Madras High Court’s interim order last week.
On Friday, a joint team comprising District Collector K.M. Sarayu, DIG Salem Zone E.S. Uma, Superintendent of Police P. Thangadurai, and other officials inspected quarries in response to the Madras High Court’s interim order seeking a report on illegal quarrying in Krishnagiri. The High Court had ordered a joint inspection by the DIG, Salem zone, in response to a petition filed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Board, which sought action against officials for failing to protect temple properties in Krishnagiri, where the Court had pegged the quarried properties valued at close to ₹198 crore.
The joint team, headed by the Collector, Salem Zone DIG, Superintendent of Police, Revenue Divisional Officers, and special tahsildars, inspected quarries with mining permits in Jegadevipalayam and Kondappanayanapalli panchayats, as well as illegal mining sites in Kodepalli, Malaisandhu, Moongilputhur, and Jinjupalli villages.
According to the administration, the inspections were carried out to check for excessive mining on the one hand and to check for quarries operating without permits and licences and to impose fines and file criminal charges in such instances.
Speaking to The Hindu, Collector Sarayu said that quarries would be surveyed over two days, and penalties imposed for any violations. “We will also lodge complaints and initiate criminal action against quarries that are operating illegally.”
A special team comprising police, revenue officials including revenue inspectors and village administrative officers, and mines and minerals department officials will be constituted for continuous monitoring of the quarries. This team will conduct periodic inspections to verify the quantum of mining and check illegal mining in areas without permits.
This will be a continuous exercise, with the team continuously monitoring for violations, bringing criminal charges, and levying penalties on violators, said Collector Sarayu.
Later, chairing a review meeting on the inspections with members of the inspection team, Collector Sarayu called for setting up a checkpost in Malaisandhi village to prevent illegal quarrying and ensure continuous monitoring.
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