The Communist Party of India (CPI) moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday seeking a direction to the State government to form a sand corporation in order to tackle the menace of illegal sand quarrying.
The petitioner, R. Mutharasan, State secretary of the CPI, said that a Tamil Nadu Sand Corporation should be formed on the lines of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) to identify, excavate and sell sand.
He said that indiscriminate sand quarrying was taking place throughout the State, and this had affected the groundwater level in many areas. There was no free flow of water, and sufficient water was not reaching the irrigation tanks. So, agriculturalists were put to severe hardship.
He pointed out that many cases of illegal sand quarrying were reported from Sivaganga district. Despite complaints being filed against those involved in illegal sand quarrying, no action was being taken against them, he said.
Rule 38-A of the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules provides for quarrying of sand by the State government. Therefore, this rule must be effectively implemented in order to tackle the indiscriminate illegal sand quarrying in the State, he said.
Taking up the public interest litigation petition for hearing, a Division Bench of Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and P. Rajamanickam ordered notice to the State and adjourned the case for further hearing.
