Lorry owners in Erode seek reopening of quarries

Erode quarry owners seek CM Stalin's help to reopen closed quarries, highlighting impact on livelihoods and illegal mining issues.

Members of the Erode District Integrated Stone Sand, M-Sand Lorry, and Earthmovers Owners Association have sought the intervention of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to reopen the closed quarries in the State.

In a petition submitted to the district administration during the weekly grievance day meeting on Monday, the Association president S.P. Saminathan said that lakhs of construction workers, drivers, owners, and engineers depend on the district for their livelihood, which was severely affected due to the closure of quarries. Despite multiple representations to the government, the quarries were yet to be reopened. Permits for operating sand quarries were halted in the district, further impacting their livelihood. “Our members have been involved in this business for 40 years, but it has now come to a standstill,” the petition stated.

The petition also highlighted that members had seized over 500 lorries involved in illegal mining and handed them over to the authorities over the years. “Despite being genuine operators, we have lost our income,” the petition said. Additionally, it urged the government to take action against illegal quarries operating across the State and called for measures to ensure that sand is available to the public at an affordable price.