Tamil Nadu: NGO Alleges Illegal Quarrying In Tirunelveli Caused A Loss Of Over Rs 700 Crore To State Exchequer, Files Complaint With DVAC

Illegal quarrying in the Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli district and failure to impose penalties on erring quarries have purportedly resulted in a loss of over Rs 700 crore to the state exchequer, an anti-corruption NGO, Arappor Iyakkam, has alleged.

The NGO has also lodged a complaint with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption.

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During a press briefing held on Thursday, Jayaram Venkatesan, the convenor of Arappor Iyakkam, said that over 50 stone quarries are operational in the district.

He highlighted a tragic event on 14 May 2022, at a stone quarry in Tharuvai village where four people lost their lives.

Venkatesan said that investigations led by Nirmal Raj, the then Director of Geology and Mining, unveiled that many quarries had dug beyond the legally permitted depths and conducted mining operations during the night, in clear violation of environmental norms and leasing agreements.

Venkatesan, citing information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, disclosed that following the investigative report, the Cheranmahadevi sub-collector imposed fines amounting to Rs 262 crore on 24 quarries involved in illegal activities.

He added that all quarries in Tirunelveli district were shut down on the collector’s orders.

According to Venkatesan, in a blatant disregard for proper procedures, quarry owners affected by the closure directly appealed to then Commissioner of Geology and Mining J Jayakanthan, bypassing the collector.

Jayakanthan allegedly reduced the total penalty to Rs 13.8 crore, and allowed the quarries to reopen. He also extended the lease for five months to compensate for the closure period.

Arrapor claimed that Tirunelveli MP Gnanathiraviam, who, as per the NGO, opposed former collector Vishnu for cracking down on illegal quarrying during a press conference in June 2022, had direct interests in quarrying, The New Indian Express reported.

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