Department of Mines to organise meeting to control illicit mineral mining, transporting after growing public anger

The district, housing 50-odd stone quarries, stands witness to unlawful mining of minerals including stones, blue metal, M-sand and quarry dust and a few cases have been filed consequently in the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court by ‘Iyarkai Vala Paathukaapu Sangam’, an apolitical registered body instituted for fighting against the looting of natural resources. In a bid to arrive at the quantum of illegal mining done in these quarries all these years, the Court has directed the officials to use modern survey techniques including drone survey to find the quantity actually mined from the quarries of Tenkasi.

Even as these cases are pending before the Court, the continuing unlawful mining and resultant public anger that burst recently in the form of petrol bomb attack on a mineral-laden lorry has forced the Department of Mines to organise a meeting to regulate mining and its transportation.

According to the communique from Vinodh, Assistant Director, Department of Mines and Geology, Tenkasi, to all Tahsildars, Regional Transport Officer, Tenkasi, owners of quarries and stone crushers and lorry owners’ association, the meeting to be convened at the Collectorate on Monday (February 2) in the presence of the District Collector and Superintendent of Police would discuss all complaints received from the public pertaining to mineral mining and transportation and find viable and everlasting solution.

Even though the conservationists are indefinitely demanding strict implementation of regulations for mining of minerals, the violations in mining and transportation has triggered public anger. The conservationists charge that the transporters, with the help of a few weighbridges, are getting fake weighbridge receipts to hoodwink the officials checking overloading of minerals.

The public also say that the recent petrol bomb attack on a Kerala-bound mineral-laden lorry near Alangulam in the district, in which the truck driver suffered serious burns, was also “demonstration of public anger” against the plundering of Tenkasi’s mineral wealth by the mafia, who also severely damage the roads with heavy loads beyond the permissible level.

“We believe that it’s an incident that showcased the public anger against the uncontrolled looting of the district’s mineral wealth,” says M. Peer Khader of Cheranmahadevi, a member of ‘Iyarkai Vala Paathukaapu Sangam’.

The Kanniyakumari district police recently registered case against 115 Kerala-bound heavy vehicles for loading minerals above the permissible level and seized seven vehicles. Drivers of some of these vehicles being operated via busy Nagercoil – Thiruvananthapuram Highway were found to be intoxicated when the police checked these vehicles.

“We also seek similar surprise checks here in Tenkasi district as these vehicles are plying between Tenkasi and Kerala via the busy Kollam Highway,” says S. Jameen, secretary of ‘Iyarkai Vala Paathukaapu Sangam’, who has filed cases in the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court to curb mining violations.

Even though the police introduced timings for operation of mineral-laden lorries to avert accidents and traffic snarl, these truck drivers show scant respect for this instruction by driving overloaded vehicles at high speed via busy roads of Tenkasi district. If the drivers are still allowed to drive vehicles at will, we, the members of Iyakkai Vala Paathukaapu Sangam’, will forcibly stop these vehicles even if it creates law and order issues, says K. Ravi Arunan, former MLA and president of the Sangam.

The truck drivers, who scrupulously follow the time regulation as long as they are in Kerala, violate this instruction once they enter Tenkasi district.

After G. S. Madhavan assumed office as the Superintendent of Police, Tenkasi, recently, he has initiated sustained action against illicit transporting of minerals and overloading of minerals in the heavy trucks.

On instruction from Mr. Madhavan, the police also have started slapping fine on the lorries that defy the time regulation.

The ‘Iyarkai Vala Paathukaappu Sangam’ also urge the officials to ensure the fitting of GPS in all vehicles carrying minerals as ordered by the Madras High Court which would stop the transporting of minerals in prohibited hours.

“If quarrying of stones is done to meet the local demand, there is no chance for illegal mining as quarrying would be done responsibly. Since the minerals being transported from Tenkasi to Kerala guarantees humongous revenue to the looters, this unlawful business continues and thrives,” Mr. Ravi Arunan says.

Published – January 31, 2026 06:28 pm IST