Demonstration over proposed sand quarrying on Kollidam bed

The protesters, who assembled on the river bed said, said that there were already several sand quarries that were dredged for several years, resulting in an environmental threat. Similarly, there were many giant borewells installed on the river bed under the combined drinking water schemes that had drawn water in a large quantity. Due to such activities, the river which was rich as a water source, dried away over the past three years, the villagers rued.

The protesters charged that the ground water level in the river bed had gone very low due to excess dredging of sand and the drawing of huge volume of water.

“Due to the poor ground water availability, we have witnessed drinking water shortage for years and agricultural activities have been affected already. While Kerala and Karnataka have banned sand mining, it is essential for Tamil Nadu to stop mining activities too for the welfare of the people,” they said. While the people were fighting against sand mining in the Kollidam river bed, the government has been planning to establish a sand quarry at Thiruchinampoondi village, the people rued.

“Establishing a sand quarry is equal to committing suicide,” the villagers said.

Demanding the State government to withdraw the decision to establish sand quarry, the protesters warned of the agitation otherwise intensifying upon failure to act.

Extending support to the villagers, Tiruvaiyaru MLA Durai Chandrasekaran represented the DMK, while other party members, including Jeevakumar of the CPM, P Maniyarasan, coordinator of the Tamil Desiya Periyakkam, Rajeswaran (AMMK), Krishnakumar (NTK) participated in the protest.