TN parties to protest against transportation of minerals to Kerala

Chennai, May 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The political parties in Tamil Nadu, including the MDMK, NTK and the Congress, have announced that they will block the roads towards neighbouring Kerala on May 16 from Tenkasi district.

The parties will protest against state government officials for not taking action against rampant illegal quarrying and transportation of minerals towards Kerala.

Former Congress MLA K. Ravi Arunan, who is spearheading the campaign against illegal quarrying and transportation of minerals, said the officials in different departments are not acting against the mining mafia.

Arunan told IANS, "The state government is receiving a small amount of Rs 180 as revenue for a single unit of mineral and the same quantity is being sold in Kerala for Rs 13,000 and in some case even for a higher price. The trucks that are overloaded and laden with minerals are damaging the roads and water pipelines in Tenkasi district."

He said the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board as well as the state Highways Department are spending crores of rupees each year to repair the roads and repair the broken water pipelines.

The former Congress MLA added that the Regional Transport Authority has imposed a minimum fine of Rs 20,000 under the Motor Vehicles Act but the police fine only Rs 2,000 and allow the illegal transporters to travel.

MDMK Secretary Udayasuriyan told IANS, "The stone quarries and m-sand units are digging deeper than the prescribed limit and extracting stones. CCTV cameras must be installed near the quarries to monitor their activities."

Arunan also said that the political parties and activists in Tamil Nadu would start blocking roads on May 16 to protest against illegal quarrying of minerals and their transportation to Kerala.

Source: IANS