Farmers complain about indiscriminate quarrying

Farmers raise concerns about stone quarrying, tungsten mining, land acquisition, and encroachments at grievance redressal meeting.

Farmers complained about indiscriminate stone quarrying taking place in the district, particularly in Kalligudi, at the farmers’ grievance redressal meeting held at the Collectorate here on Friday.

They said that the residents were affected by the quarrying activities that included blasts. The residents faced health issues, the farmers said and urged the authorities to look into the issue as expeditiously as possible.

After the farmers raised concern over tungsten mining near Arittapatti, Collector M.S. Sangeetha told the farmers not to fear as the State government had not granted any permission for tungsten mining and it was a biodiversity heritage site.

A farmer complained that farmers whose lands were acquired for road expansion works were not given adequate compensation. They urged the authorities to ensure that appropriate compensation was provided.

Some of the other complaints raised at the meeting were with regard to encroachments on waterbodies and agricultural lands. The farmers complained that water channels carrying water from Yanaimalai hill to the nearby tanks were encroached upon. They said that appropriate action should be taken. They also urged the authorities to remove encroachments from Kalikappan tank near Othakadai.

The farmers urged the authorities to install a portrait of Colonel John Pennycuick, the British engineer who constructed Mullaperiyar dam, at the meeting hall. The authorities told them that it would be installed. The farmers also raised complaints with regard to compensation for crop loss and injuries to livestock.