Bullock cart owners stage ‘begging protest’ at Vellore Collectorate

VELLORE: Officials at the Vellore Collectorate were taken aback when a group of bullock cart owners undertook begging there with religious marks (namam) on their heads on Monday. The group who arrived in their carts raised slogans demanding that they also should be allowed to mine sand officially from Palar River bed. Vellore District Bullock Cart Owners Association president Sankar said that though officialdom had promised them permits to mine sand, no further action was taken even after three months. The cart owners stated that officially permitting them to mine sand would safeguard their livelihood. They also charged that the orders of the national green tribunal regarding the quantum of sand to be mined was given the go by as more than 3000 units of sand was ferried by more than 800 lorries. “We are seeking permission to mine only a quarter unit of sand. Later, six of them were allowed to meet Collector Kumaravel Pandian and hand over a petition.