All 64 unlicensed quarries closed: Tiruppur Collector tells HC

In compliance with the High Court's August 31 order, all the 64 unlicensed quarries in the Morattupalayam area have been closed, the Tiruppur district Collector has said in his compliance report filed before the Madras High Court.

The Regional Transport Officer of Tiruppur North has confiscated the two lorries which had the same registration numbers, the report, submitted a couple of days ago, added.

The District Revenue officer (DRO) has been directed to enquire into the involvement of officials or failure on their part to monitor the operation of such unlicensed quarries in the subject area for taking further action as directed by the Court, the report said.

All necessary action is being taken by the district administration to curtail the menace of illegal quarrying and transportation of minerals and stringent action will be taken against the offenders in accordance with law and the directions of the court will be complied with in letter and spirit, the report added.

While passing orders on a writ petition from a quarry owner, whose licence had been cancelled by the authority concerned on alleged ground of violation of lease conditions, Justice R Mahadevan on August 31 had directed the Collector to close forthwith the 64 unlicenced quarries operating in Morattupalayam village in Uthukuli taluk.

The judge had passed the orders on the basis of a report submitted by the Advocate-Commissioner, appointed by the High Court.

The court had also directed the Collector to initiate criminal action against those who operated the unlicenced quarries, as well as those who were instrumental in allowing them to operate such as the Village Administrative Officer (VAO), Tahsildar, Revenue Divisional (RDO) and DRO and other officials concerned, besides initiating appropriate proceedings to recover the loss caused to the exchequer.

The judge gave the directions after taking note of the magnitude of the violations of stone quarrying lease in the area, while passing interim orders on a writ petition from a licenced quarry operator.

Accordingly, the Collector, after ordering the closure of the illegal units, submitted the report The matter stands adjourned till September 14, for the reaction of the Advocate-Commissioner, to whom the compliance report was forwarded.