The Hindu : Front Page : Karur MLA courts arrest on sand mining issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 15, 2006
ePaper

Front Page

Front Page

Karur MLA courts arrest on sand mining issue

L. Renganathan

Protests `second sales point' at Mallampalayam off the Cauvery

KARUR: The Karur All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MLA, V. Senthil Balaji, courted arrest at Vangal near here on Thursday after he staged a road roko protesting `illegal sand mining' by the kin of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam politicians.

It all began when the MLA was tipped off about `second sales point' or sand stockyards at Mallampalayam near Vangal off the Cauvery. The MLA and his supporters went to the spot and protested the operations saying the quarry was too close to the Inam Karur Drinking Water Supply Scheme. They also blocked the way of some lorries waiting to leave after loading sand.

The Karur Tahsildar, A. Thangavel, and Vangal Village Administrative Officer, Jayabalan, who arrived there intervened saying they came to know of the `second sales point' only then. But the MLA insisted on the Collector's presence at the spot to clarify the issue. Then Mr. Balaji and his supporters walked for a km-and-a-half to the Vangal police station. Incidentally, the Superintendent of Police, K. Shankar, came by that way and the protestors blocked his way. The SP got off the vehicle and went to the police station. Insisting the presence of the Collector, the MLA and 57 AIADMK partymen courted arrest.

The second sales-point operators said that they had valid High Court permission to run the sales point.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page