Tamil Nadu government to crack down on illegal quarrying, protect natural resources: Sengottaiyan

The Tamil Nadu government will take action against illegal quarrying and enact appropriate laws to protect the State’s natural resources, Minister for Revenue and District Administration K.A. Sengottaiyan said in Coimbatore on Wednesday (August 26).

Mr. Sengottaiyan referred to Minister for Natural Resources T.K. Prabhu’s statement in the Assembly on Tuesday and told the media that nearly 18 hillocks had reportedly disappeared over the past few decades. The government was examining how the material was extracted and whether the requisite taxes were paid.

He said the government was committed to conserving natural resources and had announced that raw materials could be imported from other States and countries to reduce pressure on resources within Tamil Nadu.

Asked why the Opposition remained silent after Mr. Prabhu presented evidence of hillocks disappearing due to mining, Mr. Sengottaiyan said the issue should be examined to identify those involved. Some properties were allegedly held in benami names and facts would emerge as the inquiry progressed, he added.

On the circulation of reels on social media containing portions of speeches that the Speaker had announced would be removed from the Assembly records, Mr. Sengottaiyan said the Information and Publicity Department was taking steps to regulate the issue. The Speaker would consult the department on the matter, he said.

Responding to AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s remarks in the Assembly that MLAs could be bought over, Mr. Sengottaiyan referred to Mr. Palaniswami’s earlier attempt to form a government with the support of the DMK, which did not materialise. He said some parties from which support was sought during that effort were now part of the government.