The Bangaru Vaickal Neeradhara Kootamaippu, a water users’ association, has urged the Puducherry government to immediately intervene and check illegal sand mining from the Thenpennai river bed at Soriyankuppam.
In a letter addressed to Lt. Governor K. Kailashnathan, the president of the water users’ association, V. Chandrasekhar said that indiscriminate sand mining continued unabated despite a ban by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The NGT had directed the government to constitute a monitoring committee comprising officials from the Public Works Department, Revenue Department and the police, and set up designated check-posts to check sand mining.
However, the committee had not taken the NGT order seriously and illegal sand mining continued round-the-clock over the last few days. The barricades set up by the PWD have been damaged by the sand-laden lorries and the mined sand was loaded to the bed dam. From there, it was transported through lorries to various places in Puducherry, Mr. Chandrasekhar said.
“None of the mandatory check-posts ordered by the NGT remained functional and illegal sand mining continued to be carried out with impunity. The authorities who are supposed to implement the orders of the NGT are looking the other way and allowing the mining to continue. This amounts to complete breakdown of law and order and contempt of the NGT’s directions,” he said.
The Association urged the Lt. Governor to immediately intervene and direct the District Collector to convene an emergency meeting of all line departments and put in place necessary fool-proof mechanism to prevent sand mining. It also demanded that the culprits involved in sand mining be booked and action be taken against concerned officials for dereliction of duty and misuse of power.
Published - September 09, 2024 12:28 am IST
