HC directs Madurai Collector to take appropriate action against illegal mineral quarrying

Madurai Bench of Madras High Court directs Madurai Collector to take action against illegal mineral quarrying in Melur taluk.

Taking into account that a huge quantity of mineral had been quarried and removed in Melur taluk in Madurai district, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Madurai Collector to take all remedial and appropriate action as per law.

The court was hearing the petition filed by S. Sevugan and G. Bharathiraja who are residents of Meenakshipuram in Melur taluk. The petitioners alleged that indiscriminate illegal mineral quarrying was taking place at Kottakudi in Melur taluk. They sought a direction to the authorities concerned to take appropriate action. The authorities submitted that action had been initiated in this regard.

A Division Bench of Justices G. R. Swaminathan and B. Pugalendhi observed that the prayer in the petition was for stopping further quarrying in the survey numbers mentioned in the petition. The proceedings issued by the Madurai Collector clearly address the concerns expressed by the petitioners. The matter cannot end there, the court observed.

Even according to the officials, a huge quantity of mineral had been illegally quarried and removed. “We fail to understand how it can take place without the knowledge of the local officials”, the court observed and added that the members of the jurisdictional task force cannot escape from liability.

It is obvious that the act would constitute an offence for which an FIR was liable to be registered, the court observed and directed the Madurai Collector to take remedial and appropriate action in this regard. Penalty proceedings also will have to be initiated, the court directed and disposed of the petition.