Madurai: In a first such crackdown on big sharks involved in illegal granite quarrying in the Southern region, the Madurai district administration on Thursday sealed the premises of granite major PRP Exports amidst protests from its 7,000-strong workforce. The move was aimed at preventing its promoters from destroying evidences of illegal mining and encroachment on Government land and water bodies. The sealing exercise, sparked by a whistle-blowing report on the multi-crore illegal mining scandal submitted by former Madurai Collector U Sagayam, had all the elements of a movie climax. Police had to use the microphone to warn protesting workers to give way as they blocked their entry and the approach roads.
The district administration led by Collector Anshul Mishra and Superintendent of Police V Balakrishnan executed the well-coordinated operation to seal the 400 acre PRP Exports factory premises with clock work precision right from 6.30 am. Over 250 staffs from different Government departments such as Revenue, Public Works, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, Labour, Mining, Factories and Local Administration were involved in the sealing exercise that took place.
While the Electricity Board staff ensured that power supply was disconnected to the factory by switching off a 110 KV power sub-station within the premises, the Factories and Labour Department officials went about taking an inventory of machinery, weighing scales, etc. Revenue and Public Works Department staff simultaneously surveyed the premises to identify its boundaries and encroachment on water bodies.
The granite major had allegedly dumped effluents in two public water bodies, which were encroached. Pollution Control Board officials collected water samples to assess the levels of pollution. Steps have been taken to request public sector petroleum companies to stop supplying fuel to the granite firm. However, in a humanitarian gesture, the officials ensured that power supply to the workers’ mansion located on the premises was not disrupted.
Earlier, thousands of workers stormed out of their mansions and gheraoed the officials pleading to suspend the sealing operations as their livelihood would be affected. They blocked the Melur Road for a while. Over 200 police personnel who had descended to ensure that there was no untoward incident. Officials who participated in the raid included RDO Durairajan, tahsildars Juliet Vasanthakumari (Melur), Muruganandham (Madurai North), Alexander Rai (Madurai South); and head surveyor Murugesan.
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