Objections raised against inviting tender for granite quarries in Melur taken note of, farmers told

Madurai Collector M.S. Sangeetha said objections raised by farmers over inviting tender for granite quarries in Melur taluk were taken note of and forwarded to govt. Farmers complained about dumping of waste materials, need for better roads, adequate compensation, removal of trees, more cold storage facilities, steps against illegal sand mining and to prevent sewage mixing into waterbodies. Collector asked authorities to place board, garbage bins and for an official from Madurai Corporation to be present during farmers' grievance meet.

Following queries raised over inviting tender for the operation of granite quarries in Melur taluk in Madurai district, Madurai Collector M.S. Sangeetha on Friday said that the objections raised by the farmers were taken note of by the authorities.

Responding to the queries raised at the farmers’ grievance meet held at the Madurai Collectorate, the Collector said that the objections raised were taken note of and the same was forwarded to the government.

The farmers had complained that the agricultural lands were located nearby and the operation of the granite quarries would affect the lands and the ecology. Earlier this week, a group of farmers made a representation to the authorities and staged a demonstration in this regard at the Collectorate.

The Collector told the farmers that the decision to invite the tender was taken based on a survey conducted in 2021 and no further decision was taken. It had nothing to do with quarries mentioned in the findings of the Sagayam Commission, which was appointed to conduct an inquiry into illegal granite mining activities. As of now, the objections raised were forwarded to the government and it would be looked into, she said.

Farmers complained about the dumping of waste materials along the Madakulam kanmai. They urged the authorities to take appropriate steps to ensure that waste materials were removed and not dumped along the kanmai. They said that despite several complaints raised in this regard, no action was taken by the authorities.

The Collector told the authorities concerned to place a board along the kanmai asking the public not to dump waste and if there were any violation then a fine amount would be collected. She also asked the authorities to place adequate garbage bins at appropriate places.

Some of the other queries raised included the need for better roads, adequate compensation to farmers who suffered crop loss, removal of seemai karuvelam (prosopis juliflora) trees, need for more cold storage facilities in the district, need to take steps against illegal sand mining and to prevent sewage mixing into waterbodies. The farmers also urged that an official from Madurai Corporation should be present during the farmers’ grievance meet.