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Friday, Sep 01, 2006

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Anomalies traced in Government sand quarry

Staff Reporter

Advocate Commissioner files report after inspecting site on Tamirabarani riverbed

MADURAI: The Advocate Commissioner appointed by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court to inspect the Government sand quarry site along the Tamirabarani riverbed at Thonithurai village in Tirunelveli district has brought to light several anomalies in quarrying operations.

In his report filed before the Bench on Thursday, the Commissioner K. Govindarajan said that the Industries Department Secretary had recently permitted the Public Works Department (PWD) to quarry sand over an area of 6 hectares (300 metres length X 200 metres width). The official had instructed that the operations should begin only after demarcating the area by installing four pillar stones on the boundaries, besides setting up a benchmark to periodically monitor the depth of the riverbed.

But neither the pillar stones nor the benchmark were present in the site during inspection on August 22, the Commissioner said.

"The PWD Superintending Engineer and the Assistant Director of Geology and Mining were not in a position to show the pillar stones and they have answered that the same had fallen in the water ... Since there was no benchmark level indicating the level of riverbed, I could not fix the depth of quarrying done at the site."

He further said that a six-metre wide mud road had been laid across the river causing hindrance to free flow of water from the northern side towards the south.

At present, the water flows to the other side only through the cement pipes laid at two points.

Producing a sample of the water drawn from the riverbed during inspection, Mr. Govindarajan said the water had become "unpotable." He also submitted a video footage in compact disc as well as the photographs shot at the site.

A Division Bench, comprising Justice P.K. Misra and Justice K. Venkataraman, adjourned the matter to September 5 since it was represented that the Advocate General from Chennai would appear to defend the case.

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