Mafia tries to cover pits in Malattar before team’s visit

As officials failed to take action against illegal sand mining in the Malattar even after repeated representations and petitions, S Udayakumar and S Raghupathy, secretary and vice president of district farmers association respectively, along with a 50-member group, including social workers and several altruists, walked approximately three km from the town to the Malattar river. Upon receiving information about the farmers association spot visit, those involved in illegal sand mining hurriedly tried to fill up the pits. As the cover up bid could not be completed before the arrival of the group, the illegal sand miners fled the spot abandoning earth moving equipment, which was reportedly used for mining sand.

When activists and farmers association members reached the spot, they found numerous metal sieves and several water cans. When farmers initially tried to break the 15 sieves, some of the senior members from the group prevented them from doing so.

Sources blamed that officials did act on their petition as some former senior police officers were allegedly controlling the operation of the tractors and earth movers through their benamis. Around 50 carts, 20 tractors and tippers ferry sand illegally to Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and various towns in TN, on a daily basis, according to S Ramadoss (70), a social worker. “Sand to the tune of Rs 200 crore is expected to have been pilfered from the river. The pits are dug to ensure that there is no flow in the river even during rains,” said Raghupathy.

The Farmers’ association have planned to submit a report to the state government based on their visit to the river.