The Thadagam Valley Protection Committee on Saturday petitioned the Coimbatore District Collector, accusing brick kiln owners of destroying evidence of illegal mining they had committed.
The petition alleged that an illegally mined area in No. 11 Veerapandi village was levelled using earthmover on Thursday. According to the petitioners, the mining area was levelled as a team tasked by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) is expected to visit the place to assess the extent of quarrying that had been done.
The petitioners said that the highest amount of illegal quarrying was done in No 11 Veerapandi village in Thadagam valley and the levelling was done fearing huge penalty which the NGT might impose on brick kiln operators.
After the levelling of the mining sites were reported in the media, a team of officials led by the Assistant Director Mines, Coimbatore, visited No. 11 Veerapandi village on Friday.
However, according to the committee, the team did not visit the place where a quarry was levelled. Instead, it visited another land where no activity has been done for several months, said the committee in its petition.
The committee also urged the Collector to take disciplinary action against officials who colluded with brick kiln operators and aided their illegal activities.
