District Collector M. Karunagaran on Wednesday issued a notice against Palanisamy who had taken the contract for quarrying gravel from the Kurichi tank.
On May 15, 2013, the district administration had given orders for removing gravel from Kurichi tank as part of the de-silting of the tank and to strengthen the bunds.
The permission was for a period of 11 months valid till April 14, 2014.
Custodian of the tank, the Water Resource Organisation of the Public Works Department had given permission for de-silting up to a depth of 0.60 meters removing about 28,300 cubic feet. Following complaints that the contractor was removing gravel beyond the permitted levels, PWD officials and Deputy Director of Geology and Mining inspected the tank on Wednesday.
Inspection revealed that of the 35,910 cubic feet of gravel removed, 60 per cent should have been used for strengthening the bunds of the tank and the remaining 40 per cent could be used by the contractor.
However, assessment of the quarrying taken place till date revealed that 3,591 truck loads were used for strengthening the bunds. The total number of truck loads of gravel removed by the contractor was 2,394 loads. The contractor had taken six cubic feet of sand in every truck load and the contractor was issued only permit slips for 1,250 loads so far. This puts the total number of truck loads of gravel removed at 1,197.
Hence, the Collector directed the contractor to pay Rs 1,79,550 for the 1,197 loads of gravel removed from the tank in violation of the permission.
In addition, Collector also added that in the event of further illicit quarrying continuing at the site, the quarrying licence will be cancelled and legal action will be initiated against the contractor.
The Collector also asked the contractor to remove gravel from areas that had not been quarried so far and to level the areas where the quarrying had gone beyond the permitted level.
