He will visit and inspect mines in the state and submit a report to the court within two months
The government claimed to have taken various steps thereafter to check the illegalities. (Photo: DC/File)
Chennai: The Madras high court on Thursday appointed U. Sagayam, IAS, former district collector of Madurai as a special officer/legal commissioner, to visit and inspect mines in the state and submit a report to the court within two months to satisfy the court that action is being taken at the site.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana gave the directive while closing an interlocutory application filed by social activist Traffic Ramaswamy, which sought a direction to appoint Sagayam to inspect the illegal mining. Originally, Traffic Ramaswamy had filed a PIL, to direct the Union and state governments to launch prosecution against illegal mine operating in Tamil Nadu.
The bench said the PIL has been filed in respect of the illegal quarrying in 32 districts.
In the counter affidavit, the industries secretary had stated that in response to the report sent by Sagayam on May 19, 2012, several inspection teams had been deputed to check the irregularities and violations in granite quarries in Madurai district.
The government claimed to have taken various steps thereafter to check the illegalities.
“In view of the nature of illegality alleged and the fact that in the process, even farm lands given to deprived SC and ST section of people are stated to be affected by the quarrying and U. Sagayam being the person who filed the initial report in this matter, we consider it appropriate to appoint U. Sagayam as a special officer/legal commissioner to visit and inspect the mines and submit a report to this court to satisfy ourselves that action is being taken at the site.
At this stage, we are not inclined to refer the matter to Central Vigilance Commission but to examine the matter subsequently, once we have the benefit of report”, the bench added. In his petition, Ramaswamy said the state government has begun crackdown on illegal granite quarries in Madurai after U. Sagayam’s report estimating the loss at around Rs 16,000 crores due to illegal quarrying.
Mining operations of 78 quarries were suspended and 87 cases were registered by the district police. Of the 87 cases, charge sheets have been filed only in 15 cases. The illegal quarrying operations are being carried out in various districts in the state with no probe being conducted in those districts.
Therefore, he sent a representation to the authorities to appoint Mr Sagayam to inspect the illegal mining throughout the state and file a report and to initiate prosecution against illegal mines in the state by the Enforcement Directorate as per the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. But there was no response, he added.
( Source : dc )
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