Vellore official gets threat for blocking sand mining

VELLORE: Krishnaveni Jalandhar, vice chairman, Vellore district panchayat, plans to complain to the police after a notorious sand miner threatened her for acting against illegal mining in Malattar near Pernambut, sources said.

A few days ago, Krishnaveni led a team of PWD officials accompanied by Masigam village panchayat president Thiagarajan and 2 VAOs to the river and used an earthmover to dig trenches at 8 locations to prevent the carts from accessing the river. The team also broke 8 sieves and flattened sand heaped at 40 locations.

Following the action, a local youth Santosh Kumar involved in illegal mining sent a message to Krishnaveni stating that her act was only a drama and two days ago, along with two others stopped her on the road and threatened her with dire consequences if she persisted. “This was the last straw as when locals came to know of this they demanded that I complain to the local police,” she said.

Masigam villagers threatened cart owners that they would slash the tyres of their carts if they attempt to smuggle sand again. “The district Congress committee also passed a resolution that if illegal sand mining continued even after this, then party cadre would enter the river at night with flaming torches (thee panthams) to physically confront the culprits,” she added.