Even while directing District Collectors and all departments to ensure that sand quarrying be permitted in a manner that the environment is protected, the State government on Saturday decided to promote the use of manufactured sand (‘M Sand’), widely acknowledged to be an alternative to river sand.
M Sand is a product obtained by crushing rocks to a consistency, enabling it for use in construction work.
Necessary approval would be given to the establishment of production units of ‘m sand’ and the existing crushing units would be allowed immediately to produce it. If required, the units could take loans through the Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday and attended by senior Ministers and officials. Held in the light of the order of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on sand quarrying in the Cauvery-Coleroon river beds, the meeting discussed in depth measures to implement the order and facilitate smooth availability of sand for construction works.
To overcome shortage of sand, efforts would be made to identify new quarries and approach the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority to secure its nod. The District Collectors should take action to prevent sand quarrying from unauthorised sites and make available sand for construction works.
All these steps would enable people getting sand at low prices without hassles, a press release issued by the Chief Minister stated.
Development activities
Ms Jayalalithaa opened, through video-conferencing, a host of buildings in different parts of the State, housing electricity sub-stations, fair price shops, educational institutions and administrative offices.
Four upgraded sub-stations, two of which were in Tiruchi district and one each in Tiruvarur and Dharmapuri districts, and three new sub-stations, one each in Tiruvallur, Theni and Thanjavur districts, were commissioned. One of the two upgraded stations in Tiruchi was in Srirangam and another in Pettavaithalai, while the other two upgraded stations were in Ullikottai of Tiruvarur district and Pappireddipatti of Dharmapuri. The new stations were located in Athipattu (Tiruvallur district), Kullappagaudanpettai (Theni) and Karampayam (Thanjavur). The total cost of the seven sub-stations was Rs. 94.49 crore.
Eleven constituent arts and science colleges had come up with one each in Edapadi (Salem district), Kanyakumari (Kanyakumari), Vedasandur (Dindigul), Modakurichi (Erode), (Thirumangalam (Madurai), Thiruvottiyur (Tiruvallur), Paramakudi (Ramanathapuram), Kadayanallur (Tirunelveli), Aruppukottai (Virudhunagar), Nagapattinam (Nagpattinam) and Arakkonam (Vellore).
While the Chief Minister inaugurated seven buildings of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), she laid the foundation stone for several new buildings, estimated to cost about Rs.3.86 crore. The seven buildings had come up at a total cost of around Rs. 1.65 crore.
She also opened the Madurai Bench of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, office of assistant commissioner of the Chennai North – Ambattur zone of the Civil Supplies department and buildings for four fair price shops in Taramani here.
While the Madurai Bench of the Commission would result in immediate redress of complaints of people in 13 southern districts, the Ambattur zone office would be of benefit to nearly two lakh families. The fair price shops in Taramani had been fitted with solar lights.
Besides, the Chief Minister handed over five jeeps, costing about Rs. 27.7 lakh, to five district supply officers.
Meeting discusses measures to make it available for construction work