The Public Works Department (PWD) informed the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday that it planned to set up a centralised control room in Tiruchi/Chennai to monitor sand quarrying.
Centralised monitoring of quarries would be done through CCTVs through live streaming from the control room.
In an affidavit filed before the court, the Principal Secretary, PWD, said steps would be taken to set a “robust customer care centre” to answer queries pertaining to new developments in sand supply and receive complaints of irregularities.
Based on the recommendations of the Advocate Committee, emphasis would now be on refurbishing the process from quarry site identification to lifting of sand. The PWD, along with recognised qualified persons, would do joint inspection to ascertain permanent structures and water schemes before giving consent and the selection process would be eco-friendly.
Steps were under way to make all quarries abide by environmental and legal norms. “A sound monitoring mechanism is already in place to monitor any excess or violation and take strictest action,” the affidavit said.
A district-level task force had been set up and the Collector monitored the compliance of sand quarries and sent a monthly report to an appellate forum.
After exhaustion of sand, PWD officials would initiate mine closure plan. It was also stated that traditional methods would be revamped. A special mobile application, TNSAND, and a web portal had been created to account each unit of sand and online booking was tracked, the affidavit said. Terms of loading contract would be strengthened to fix liability on the contractor for violation of extent and depth of mining.
River sand formed an integral part of infrastructure development in Tamil Nadu, which depended on it to meet the demands of rapid urbanisation. The government was working towards achieving an ecologically friendly and environmentally sustainable mode of sand quarrying, said the affidavit.
The PWD claimed that after online sale of sand came into existence sand production was around 11,000 loads per day and prices ranged from ₹12,000 to ₹15,000 per load. However, following the High Court ban on sand mining prices went up to ₹50,000 per load.
It requested the court to permit the government to continue operations in Mayanur, Sriramasamuthiram/Silaipillayarputhur, Chinthavadi, M. Puthur, Sirugamani, Musiri (West), Panayakurichi and Vittalapuram. It sought a time of three months to attain closure plan in Thiruvasi, Kiliyanallur, Unniyur, Kariamanickam, Alambadi and Manamedu. It gave an undertaking that new proposals would take into account all environment factors across Cauvery and Coleroon rivers.
