HC directs Collector to adhere to conditions for quarrying

The Madras High Court today observed that the court cannot be a supervisor in every matter of the government and disposed of a PIL which sought a direction to appoint a committee headed by U Sagayam, IAS, to go into 'illegal sand quarrying' in Wallajah area of Vellore district.
After perusing a report filed by Vellore district Collector, the First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M.M. Sundresh, directed him to restrict sand quarrying only within the permitted area and also see that quarrying was done by maintaining a safety distance of 500 metres from a nearby well as mentioned in the report.

The matter related to sand mining at Vannivedu village in Wallajah taluk. The petitioner alleged that the mining was carried out even where the permission was not granted in the nearby Palar river basin resulting in scarcity of drinking water to the public.
The petitioner had sought a direction to appoint Sagayam to go into the illegal sand mining and the court had earlier directed the Collector to file a report.
In his report, which came up today, the Collector submitted that quarrying was done only in the place where permission was granted and so far 2772 units of sand had been quarried and sold by PWD upto March 27 this year.

He further said strict instructions were issued to the Executive Engineer, PWD, to restrict sand quarrying only within the permitted area.
Taking note of the report, the court disposed of the PIL with a direction to the Collector to monitor it continuously by adhering to the conditions stipulated in the permission granted for quarrying.