June 26, 2023 07:07 pm | Updated 07:07 pm IST - TIRUCHI
Stone quarries in the State went on an indefinite strike from Monday in response to a call given by the Tamil Nadu Stone Quarry, Crusher and Lorry Owners Association seeking relaxation of rules on mining minor minerals. Aggregate Crusher Machine
A resolution adopted at a consultative meeting held in Tiruchi on Monday said all stone quarries in the State would remain closed until further notice.
Speaking to reporters, K. Chinnasamy, State president of the association, said: “A few persons, in the name of social activists, have been creating hindrance to the functioning of stone quarries by blackmailing owners. Because of their threats, the livelihood of the quarry owners, labourers, and their family members have been severely affected.”
The association also demanded relaxation of certain rules. “Licensed stone quarries functioning in the State before 2016 need not follow the bench system in extracting the minor minerals, which was later made mandatory by the government. This creates problems in the renewal of licences for the quarries that have been functioning for many decades,” he said.
The association also alleged that a large quantum of minor minerals on government lands were illegally exploited with the collusion of some officials.
The rules, including a mining plan, for extracting major minerals should not be made applicable for extracting minor minerals that were used for essential purposes such as laying roads and construction of buildings, the association said.
It urged the government to declare a one-kilometer radius around the quarries as mining zones and avoid developmental activities in that area.
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