A drone assessing quantum of illegally mined granite blocks at Karuppukaal fell into the quarry pit on Monday after the remote control operator lost control of it, startling officials, including U Sagayam, appointed by Madras High court to investigate illegal mining in the district.
Mr. Sagayam said he would stay till the drone was retrieved from the deep waters of the quarry pit.
The High tech drone camera is capable of giving accurate details of quarrying done in a particular spot and its data could help officials exactly assess the quantum of quarrying.
Officials said the drone brushed past blocks of granite stacked in the vicinity before crashing into the pit after the remote control operator lost control of the drone due to ‘some distraction’. Fire service personnel have been pressed into service to retrieve the equipment.
The officials said the drone would not have suffered much damage and expressed confidence that it could be repaired by tomorrow if retrieved.
Mr. Sagayam is now holding the fourth round of investigation into the illegal granite, as per the orders of the Madras High Court.
Mr. Sagayam, appointed by the court in September 2014, had visited various sites and received petitions from public in the district since he began his work on December 3.
As the then Madurai district Collector, he had in May 2012 pegged loss to the state exchequer due to irregularities in granite mining at Rs. 16,000 crore over a period of years.
