Tamil Nadu: Locals fear as govt invites tenders for establishing granite quarries in Madurai

Madurai (Tamil Nadu) [India]: With the district administration of Madurai inviting tenders for establishing granite quarries near Sekkipatti and Thiruchunai villages, the local residents fear the quarry activities would adversely impact the cultivation of their farmlands.

According to the announcement of the district administration, October 30 will be the last day to submit the tender for the companies for setting up the quarry. The selected company can operate the quarry for 20 years.

In 2011, there were allegations that granite quarry licensees in Madurai district had defrauded the government of tens of crores of rupees. Subsequently, all granite quarries in the Madurai district were closed and cases were registered against the quarry licence holders.

The investigation team headed by IAS officer Sakhayam conducted an investigation and then submitted a report to the government in 2013 stating that the government had suffered a loss of more than one lakh crore.

After 11 years, the district administration has given permission to set up granite quarries in Madurai, fearing that various agricultural lands will be affected and farmers have demanded withdrawal of the announcement for setting up the granite quarry.

Meanwhile, on October 16, farmers of Sekkipatti and Thiruchunai villages filed a petition with the District Collector objecting to the public auction of granite quarries.

In the petition, they stated that agricultural lands and government schools, hospitals, and temples were getting damaged due to the granite quarry. More than a hundred people, including women from the villages, met the district collector and submitted a petition.

On October 20 a meeting was also held at the Madurai Collectorate where the Colletctor M S Sangeetha heard out the queries raised by the farmers over inviting tenders for the operation of granite quarries. The collector assured the farmers that the objection raised by them had been taken note of by the authorities.