Illegal sand mining continues in Cauvery river in parts of Karur district, allege activists

Illegal sand mining continues in Karur despite the closure of legal quarries, activists allege, with smuggling operations ongoing.

While the sand quarries on the riverbed of the Cauvery and the Kollidam rivers remain closed, illegal sand mining continues in a few areas in Karur, activists have alleged.

The Water Resources Department operated sand quarries at Nanniyur and Mallampalayam. However, after Enforcement Directorate officials carried out simultaneous searches at various sand quarries in September 2023, the quarries at Vangal and Mallampalayam in Karur district closed down. No legal mining has taken place at the quarries since then. But, it has been alleged that illegal sand mining is taking place at various points from the Cauvery river. Though there is no activity during daytime, the habitual sand miners indulge in smuggling of sand between 11 a.m and 5 p.m.

While a section of them prefer to engage bullock carts to load sand, there are operators who use excavators and lorries for smuggling. As per the modus operandi, it is alleged that the bullock carts would bring loads of sand at secluded places and offload. The sand is subsequently loaded onto the lorries to transport it to the needy places. In some areas, the lorries are driven to the riverbed to smuggle sand.

It is alleged that Maravapalayam, Noyyal, Thottakurichi, Mettupalayam, Seventhipalayam, Nanniyur, Vangal, Mallampalayam, Kulithalai, Mayanur, Nerur South and Nerur North are among the places, where illegal sand mining is taking place.

There are instances of local people and environmental activists handing over the videos and photographs of the lorries used for the illegal sand mining, along with the longitude and latitude, to the police, revenue and WRD authorities.

“It seems that smugglers do not have fear of the law enforcers. Taking advantage of the laxity of officials, they carry out the smuggling activities at odd hours. The smugglers take a break for some days whenever we bring it to the notice of the officials,’ said S. Vijayan, a resident of Thavittupalayam, who is also an activist attached to the Cauvery Protection Movement.

It is said the police have stepped up vigil in the villages, including Mettupalayam, Seventhipalayam and Vangal, along the Cauvery River to check smuggling for the last few days.