Even as revenue and other teams have commenced assessment of the quantum of monetary loss to the exchequer due to alleged irregularities in granite quarry operations, the Public Works Department authorities have submitted a report stating that 14 tanks had gone dry in Madurai North and Melur taluks alone in the past several years in which ayacuts were not irrigated – fully or partially, official sources said in Madurai on Thursday.
According to them, the ayacuts, which are not irrigated in Melur belt comprised Keelaiyur, Keelavalavu, E. Malampatti and Therkutheru for which water for irrigation was being sourced from nearby tanks such as CC Kulam, Veppankudi, Navankudi and Sirumanikam respectively. Due to granite mining, the entire ayacut could not be irrigated and in some pockets there were partial operations carried out by farmers, which too ended in poor yield.
The estimates arrived at by the PWD teams say that a little over 300 hectares in these two (Melur and Madurai North) taluks had gone dry, with a majority hit in Therkutheru, Thirumohur, Poolampatti and Keelavalavu.
At a recent farmers’ grievances meeting held in the Collector’s office, the ryots wanted action not only against the erring granite operators but also officials who had connived with them. The natural resources in the region had been vastly destroyed since 1995 and right from the top brass to the field staff in government departments should not be spared. One or two suspensions here and there would not suffice, they said. What was required was stringent action for all the damage done. This alone would put an end to the menace, they had said.
Based on reports from PWD engineers in Periyar Main Canal Division, Melur, a top official monitoring the progress of inspections said that he would discuss threadbare the damage done to water tanks and assess the loss soon. “It is not just PRP Granites which had allegedly committed violations… there are as many as 89 granite quarries out of the 175 which had indulged in all sorts of irregularities,” the official summed up.
