Thadagam valley mining: NGT asks for reports on action taken for violations

The TNPCB, Department of Mining and Geology, and Coimbatore District Collector have been asked to file reports on violations noted by them on or before Oct 8

File photo of an earthen wall left behind by brick kiln operators during soil mining at Veerapandipudur village in Thadagam valley in Coimbatore. Photograph used for representational purposes only

The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) Southern Zone has directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), Department of Mining and Geology, and Coimbatore District Collector to submit independent statements regarding action taken for violations related to brick manufacturing in Thadagam valley in Coimbatore district.

In a recent sitting, Justice K. Ramakrishnan and Expert Member K. Satyagopal directed the TNPCB, Department of Mining and Geology and the District Collector to file the report of violations noted by them on or before October 8. The NGT made these directions after examining reports submitted by the TNPCB and the joint committee it formed on June 4 this year, after taking suo motu cognizance of the environmental degradation caused due to the operation of brick kilns in Thadagam valley.

The NGT felt that a senior scientist from the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) regional office in Chennai can be included as one of the members of the joint committee in order to ascertain the damage caused to the environment, instead of appointing the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute for the purpose.

The Coimbatore District Collector, District Environmental Engineer of TNPCB for Coimbatore north, Assistant Environmental Engineer of the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Chennai, and the Regional Joint Director of the Department of Geology and Mining (Tiruchi Region) are the existing members of the committee.

The NGT direction said that the committee can conduct the study and submit a report. If the committee feels that a further study is required, that aspect will be considered. The committee, along with the officer deputed from CPCB, has been directed to inspect and ascertain the damage caused to the environment, list the remedial measures to be taken and to submit a further report, it said.

The report submitted by the joint committee before the NGT said that it, along with Revenue officials including the District Revenue officer, Coimbatore, inspected the mining and brick making areas in Thadagam valley on August 7. According to the committee, brick kiln owners have not obtained any clearance from the SEIAA for quarrying brick earth in Veerapandi, Chinna Thadagam, Nanjundapuram, Somayampalayam and Pannimadai villages in the valley.

It said that the brick kiln owners have not been granted permits for quarrying brick earth from patta lands as required under Rule 19(2) of the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959. The Coimbatore north Tahsildar has reported that brick earth was stocked in their units, with its source not known, and the entire quantity of the stocked raw material has been declared as ‘illegally stored’ as per closure proceedings initiated by the District Collector against 177 brick kilns on June 1, 13, 14, 15 and 16.

It further said that the Coimbatore north Tahsildar has been directed to seize the entire quantum of brick earth, finished goods of bricks etc., which are stocked illegally on the premises of the brick kiln units. Also the Revenue Divisional Officer, Coimbatore north, has been directed to file complaints before the competent Special Court against brick kiln owners and for making prayers for confiscation of the finished bricks, it said.