People urge Dalmia to ensure safety of mine workers

TIRUCHY: People from Kallankurichi village in Ariyalur in the public hearing convened for limestone mines expansion demanded to ensure safety of the workers involved in the mines and their medical insurance and urged employment to the farmers who lent their lands.

The Dalmia Cements has planned an expansion of their limestone mines for which a public hearing was organised at Kallankurichi in which Collector J Anne Mary Swarna presided in the presence of Environment and Pollution Control Board Engineer Senthil Kumar.

Ariyalur district Vivasayigal Sangam president Sengamuthu while speaking in the hearing said, the heavy vehicles operated for the cement factory fail to adhere to the traffic norms. Most of the time, these heavy vehicles pose a threat to the people and so the Kallankurichi-Ariyalur Road should be widened and proper light facilities should be made and the water bodies should be maintained well by the factory administration.

Kallankurichi Mahalingam said that the cement factory should ensure the safety of the mine workers and medical insurance should be given to the workers. He also asked to establish a complete health project at Kallankurichi and other basic amenities for the residents.

Meanwhile, Farmers Protection Association organiser Balasingam said that the farmers who gave their lands for the mines are leading a life of misery. Many of them are working as loadmen in other states and so the factory should provide employment to these families.

The Collector, who heard the statements assured to forward them to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.