The owners and workers of bullock cart sand carriers on Monday began a relay fast here demanding permission to transport sand from Sankaraparani and Pennaiyaru rivers.
The protesters said they were being penalised for transporting sand from the two rivers stating that they had no right to extract sand and so were being subjected to unwanted questioning.
Hence, the government should come out with a policy towards the welfare of bullock cart operators, who were totally dependent on the business for several years.
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The government should identify and allocate sand quarries at selected locations in Sankaraparani and Pennaiyaru exclusively for the bullock cart operators and could fix a fee for extracting sand. They were ready to pay the stipulated fee by the government, the members said.
K. Sethuselvam, president, K. Karunakaran, secretary of Bullock Cart Operators’ Association began the relay fast.