In the continuing crackdown on illegal quarrying, police on Wednesday filed fresh cases against two companies for allegedly mining granite worth Rs. 1,200 crore illegally in Melur over a period of five years.
The cases were registered on complaint from a local official that the two companies indulged in illegal quarrying in irrigation tanks and ‘poromboke’ (unassessed government lands) at Melur, about 30 km from here, police said.
Melur Village Administrative officer Anuradha in her complaint said PRP Granite founder Palanisamy, his son Premkumar and their relatives used explosives, endangering the lives of residents in the area, and cut 2.98 lakh cubic metres of granite stones worth about Rs. 900 crore. Police said so far 41 cases had been filed against the partners of PRP Granites.
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The other case had been filed against Sindhu Granites for alleged illegal mining of granite worth Rs. 250 crore. The granite scam was exposed after then District Collector U. Sagayam in a report in May last year pegged the loss to the exchequer due to illegal granite quarrying in the district at about Rs. 16,000 crore.